Can We Try Again
by storygirllo87
Summary: Olivia and Fitz had an amazing relationship at one time. After his presidency they gave each other their best. But staying together is easier said than done. Will they be able to fix their problems and give their relationship another chance?
1. Chapter 1

"Olivia, please! You have to come with me. I'm not taking no for an answer". Olivia held the phone inches away from her ear while listening to the man on the other end beg.

"You know, begging isn't an attractive trait. Don't you think you're a little old for that tactic?" She smirked as she teased him. It was the end of her work day and she was sitting in her office at her large desk while finishing up some paper work.

"Listen, doll. I will use whatever tactics I have to if it means you'll come with me to the Gala."

"Bradford, I don't know. I haven't been the past few years. It's a fun and amazing night but Im not sure that I'm up for all of that excitement."

"Oh, come on you old lady! Its not like you have something better to do. Just join me. I need a date, and that guy that I wanted to bring ended up being an absolute nutcase. He didnt deserve to be my date. Therefore, I am asking you, begging actually, for you to be my hot partner in crime."

Olivia laughed on the phone at her silly friend. Bradford had known Olivia from his early twenties on but they became closer more recently. His parents were well-known art collectors from New York City, both coming form generations of wealth before them. Thomas resented the fact that he was born an only-child into a rich family but had grown to enjoy the benefits of such a lifestyle. He studied art in Europe for years and decided to move back to the United States to pursue a career in fashion design. His mother and father, clients of Olivia's many years ago, always kept in touch with her and enjoyed catching up during their quick trips through the nations capital.

The very first time Bradford met Olivia, he complimented her on her beauty and impressive body-type. "So, Olivia, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Bradford, I don't know what kind of manners you've learned or forgotten while you've been jumping around Europe, but you don't ask those types of questions," his mother explained. Elizabeth was a beautiful woman herself. Fair, porcelain skin, always dressed perfectly. She loved her son dearly, but constantly had to remind him of his delicate upbringing and the responsibility of the family name.

"Oh mother, you act like I'm asking for my own benefit. In case you've forgotten, I bat for the other team. But any man, gay or straight, can't deny what kind of woman is standing before us." Olivia blushed as he gave her a quick wink and continued drinking his freshly poured cocktail.

"You don't catch me off guard any more by giving me compliments, calling me hot and beautiful," Olivia said. "But, listen. Let me think about it and look at my schedule. Ill get back to you ASAP, okay Brad?"

"Ugh! You're no fun. And I don't tell you you're hot to catch you off guard, I tell you because it's true.I give complements when they're due. Anywho, my love, I gotta run, but yes, think about it. And when I say 'think about it' really I mean, call or text me with a definitive "yes" by tomorrow afternoon".

Olivia laughed again. "Okay, okay. Ill get back to you. Talk to you soon."

As they hung up Olivia continued to chuckle to herself about her eccentric group of friends. Not that she had many, but the few she did have were each one of a kind.

"I should just go. Why not, right?" Olivia thought to herself.

As soon as she asked herself that question she remembered her very first Met Gala. It was her first time going and she had the privilege of joining as Fitz' date. He had been going for years, usually by himself, a few times with Mellie while they were still married. But Livs first time to the event was more than special. She wore an amazing Alexander McQueen dress made with a rich hue of purple feathers. Fitz looked like the epitome of Hollywood glamour in his tuxedo.

As they walked and socialized throughout the evening, Olivia felt that all eyes were on them. It wasn't a surprise that they attended the event together. They had been dating publicly for some time, and privately for even longer. Fitz had been divorced for a while, after Mellies affair was uncovered, and Fitz had waited a decent amount of time after his presidency before him and Olivia were seen dating in public.

Olivia remembered how the night was magical and how she was genuinly happy with her life, largely in part to the amazing man she was sharing it with. As they returned back to their hotel that evening she undressed by herself from her delicate gown. She situated the dress in the walk-in closet and covered her body with a simple, short, black, asian-inspired silk robe that Fitz had purchased for her on one of his recent trips to Japan. As she walked through the suite to find Fitz she stopped for a second to enjoy the beautiful view of the city from the large windows placed throughout the Penthouse Suite. Fitz had rented the space for them at the Trump International Hotel, knowing that it was a special weekend.

"Liv, You were amazing tonight," Fitz said as he walked up behind her, holding her hips and kissing her neck.

Olivia could feel his bare chest against her robe. As he held her closer she noticed he was in his usual sleep attire, just a pair of fitted briefs.

"You weren't so bad yourself there, guy." Olivia turned around facing him and smiling.

"Yeah? I guess we were good together then? You know, I've been to so many of those Galas, but tonight felt like the first one where I actually felt complete while I was there. I can only think of one reason why. You, of course." Fitz gave a charming smirk and kissed Olivia's forehead, down to her nose, and a simple sweet kiss on her full lips.

"Mmmmm. Im glad I could make your night that much better." She smiled while gazing at his perfectly sculpted pecs as both of her palms rubbed his bare chest."This night was perfect, Fitz."

Fitz looked into Olivia's eyes and they stared at each other for a second. Him with his arms wrapped around her small waist, her lifting her arms to wrap them around his shoulders, scratching small light lines across his upper back. They started slightly rocking side to side with each other, almost dancing without any music playing.

"Seriously.I can't think of anything that could make it more perfect."

"Really? You can't think of ANY way to make this night more perfect?" He lightly pressed her into him so she could feel his length getting stiff.

"Well, of course with the exception of that" She winked at him and he lifted his hands up to hold her face as he began passionately kissing her.

Olivia lowered her arms so that her hands were resting on his lower back, reaching down and slightly squeezing his butt. Their kiss became even more passionate, using their tongues to express their desire for one another.

Fitz pulled back, pulling her lower lip with his teeth in the process, and smiled, moving his hands to her front to untie her robe. When it exposed her naked body underneath he reached up to her neck, stared her up and down slowly and whispered in her ear, "You're amazing."

Olivia smiled, tilting her head to the side as he moved closer towards her again, filling the space he had been admiring her from. She reached her small hands in between his black fitted briefs and his flesh, causing him to let out a sharp exhalation. She pulled them down trailing small kisses from his neck down his chest to his abdomen and right above his waist. She continued kissing down his body, slightly bending herself down, pulling at his briefs before they dropped to the ground exposing his erect stopped her before she continued.

"Come up here". He gingerly grabbed her by her arms to stand her straight in front of him. He leaned down to kiss her neck holding her tightly,"You were perfect tonight, you deserve to be taken care of right now."

Olivia knew exactly what Fitz meant. She smiled at him and let out a small giggle as he picked her body up off the ground and wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked them through the penthouse to the large island table in the middle of the kitchen. He sat her on the edge her legs still wrapped around his waist as his dick firmly pressed on top of her wetness. They continued kissing, slow and deep, biting each others lips and tongues, Livs scratches on his back getting deeper and longer the more their mouths dueled.

"I've been wanting to take you right here on this table since we got here the other day", Fitz whispered in her ear as he licked up and down her neck, ending with biting her ear

"Mmmmmm. I've been waiting for you to take me here in this spot since we got here," Liv pulled back ever so slightly so they could make quick eye contact as she held the back of his neck.

"Oh yeah? Great minds think alike then ."

"Yeah" She nodded playfully and smiled.

"You're so beautiful."

"Fitz" Olivia blushed in that moment and struggled to make eye contact. He loved it when she was this vulnerable in front of him. At work, or events like the Gala, she was a powerhouse, a political genius, a professional pitbull, which he loved. But something about seeing this side of her, naked, blushing at his compliments, turned him on just as much.

"Lay back," he whispered.

She did as he requested. He kisses her stomach slowly, grabbing her hips, kissing each of her thighs and spreading her legs. As he got close to her heat he could see her watching him, her chest taking deep breaths as she prepared herself for the amazing ride he was about to take her on.

Her legs spread, and he blew his cool breath slowly on her warm core, before placing his tongue on the lowest point and licking slowly up to her bundle of nerves

"God baby, that feels so good" Olivia said lazily. Fitz' tongue always made her feel like she was in another world. It calmed her and excited her all at the same time. She reached down to grab his thick curly hair, forcing his entire face closer to her core. It drove him crazy when she pulled him like that, causing him to lick harder and deeper.

As she continued scratching the top of his head he lifted up his hand to start pleasing her with his fingers. He stood up to stand over her and watched her squirm as he fingered her.

"Is this what you want?" He growled in a deep voice.

"God Fitz." Olivia could barely speak as his fingers continued to massage her walls.

"Yes or no baby?" he demanded, as he became entranced by watching her body movements.

"Yes...yes. you know that's what I want Fitz," she whimpered.

Fitz smirked knowing he was about to make her come. He bent over and with his free hand lifted her head up slightly towards him to kiss her mouth deeply. She moaned into his mouth as she tasted herself on his tongue and he continued fingering her. He breathed into her mouth as he felt her get tense around his two fingers.

"Come for me baby."

"Fitz, I want you in me". Olivia held his face in her hands as they looked straight into each others eyes.

He slowly removed his fingers and replaced them with his hard dick. Her warmth and tightness almost made him come immediately but he knew it wouldn't be long before both of them could share their release. He pulled her up so she was seated on the edge of the table. As he rocked into her she moaned and squealed at his perfect riding skills. She threw her head back listening to her man grunt as his riding became rough and deliberate, both of his large hands guiding her tiny waist back and forth on him setting a steady rhythm for her to rock her hips.

"Fitz...I can't, Im gonna...uhhhhhh" Olivia's eyes snapped shut as her body tensed.

As soon as Fitz felt her tight convulsions around his dick he knew he couldn't hold it any longer. He let himself release into her, moaning her name out loud.

They remained in that position for a minute. Panting, regaining their whereabouts. Fitz peppered kisses along her neck, down to her breast and licking back up to her ear.

"Mmmm..." Liv looked at him, smiling, looking slightly weak after their amazing love-making.

Fitz leaned back, carefully sliding out of her but leaning close to hold her against him while she nuzzled in his neck, him standing in between her legs dangling over the edge of the table

"You made quite a mess baby girl." Fitz teased as they both looked down at their legs in between the space they shared.

"Yeah,that was all my doing, I suppose," Liv said sarcastically, poking his chest hard and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You know what we should do?"

"Hmmm?" Fitz raised an eyebrow.

"Go take a shower." She winked at him and gave a full smile, leaning in to kiss his lips. As he slipped his smoothe tongue into her mouth she slightly bit down holding it in between her teeth for a quick second, releasing it as they both smiled at each other.

"Livvie, you dirty girl. You think you're up for round two already?"

"Well, you kinda interrupted me a little bit ago before I got a chance to do that thing you like. So I figure now its my chance to take care of you. And you know how good it feels in the shower." She looked at him, both of them sharing a mischievous look. Clearly they were on the same page.

"Okay, then. You asked for it." Just then Fitz swiftly picked Liv up in a firemans hold, throwing her over his right shoulder causing her to burst out in laughter. He started laughing at the sound of her shrieking and laughter. She slapped his butt lightly one time as she was upside down over his shoulders with her arms swinging almost lifeless. He gave her ass cheeks a slight squeeze and a few quick taps as he began casually walking towards the main bathroom.

"Fitz" was all she could say in between her intense giggles.

"Round two, here we come!"

Just as Olivia remembered walking into the beautiful bathroom over Fitz' shoulder she snapped back to reality. That night seemed like forever ago. So much had changed. But, Fitz was never one to miss the Met Gala. In that moment down memory lane, Olivia decided to face her fears of running into her ex, and decided to send Bradford a text.

"Ill be your hot date to the Gala. But you're finding me a dress."


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you all are enjoying this story. I'm enjoying writing it, but I'm curious if anyone has any suggestions. Should I change any aspect of the story? Keep it the same? Any kind of feedback would really be appreciated. I'm entertained by the story so far, I just hope you as the readers are too. I'm going to see how these two chapters are recieved. If you think I should write another chapter and continue with the story, let me know in a review. Thanks! Hope you enjoy chapter 2:)**

Bradford and Olivia laughed heartily as they approached the entrance for the red carpet. He extended his hand to help her walk up the stairs.

"My lady," he said, as he kissed her golden brown hand.

"Why, thank you, kind sir." Olivia responded.

They reached the top of the stairs, becoming the center of attention as the next couple to be on display down the wide red walkway. They stopped and posed perfectly together as the paparazzi flashed hundreds of lights in their direction. Bradford was used to events similar to this, and relished in the attention.

They were adorable together. Olivia, almost his same height thanks to her beautiful Jimmy Choo heels looked flawless. She wore a long red Michael Kors dress with a long slit up the thigh. Standing tall and looking regal with her hair slicked back into a high, sleek ponytail. Bradford, as her doting date, in a perfectly fitted Tom Ford tuxedo and bowtie. His brown eyes giving Liv quick looks of admiration, which the paparazzi loved to take pictures of. His dirty blonde hair was slicked down and his facial hair was perfectly trimmed. They looked like a young, fresh couple together, and Brad loved it. He leaned into the side of Olivia and quickly spoke in her ear.

"See, if I didn't have a hot date they wouldn't even flash a disposable camera in my direction."

"Brad, please..." She laughed and shook her head at him as he smiled.

"Come on, enough pictures. Let's go mingle with some more hotties, possibly finding me a man."

He grabbed Olivia's hand and comfortably placed it around his elbow, walking into the entrance of the vast museum with her attached to him. The colors on the walls and of the presentations were beautiful. She loved everything about the gala, from the celebrities to the artwork. As they made their way around, Bradford struck up conversation with those he knew from the art industry along with friends that were from similarly wealthy families. He took perfect care of Olivia as his date.

It was getting late, past midnight, and Olivia was surprised she hadn't seen Fitz throughout the evening.

"Maybe he decided to not attend this year?" she thought to herself.

"Everything okay?" Bradford asked. He was so attentive to her throughout the evening.

She cupped the side of his face,"Brad, you are one of the most spoiled brats I know, but you really are the sweetest."

"Haha! Thank you. I think..."

"I'm fine, just thinking is all"

"Mmmm, I'm sure you are...Not that it's any of my business," he looked at her giving her a side-eye, speaking out of the corner of his mouth.

"Anyway..."

"Anyway do you want to get going? I was invited to an early presentation at a gallery tomorrow morning. A queen needs her beauty sleep, you know."

"Of course you would get invited to an event and leave me alone tomorrow," she playfully slapped his arm. He held her hand as he led her to a nearby exit. The weather was mild and he seemed to know where he was going.

"Well, you can come if you want, I just assumed you'd want to sleep in after this fabulous evening playing dress-up."

"You're absolutely right. I'm just giving you a hard time. I plan on sleeping in, ordering room service, and catching up on some paperwork. I might even call in the office and check up on our latest clients."

"See, I knew you wouldn't want to come, that's why I didn't bother inviting you. Independent woman on the go, that's you."

"Yea yea yea. In the meantime, you might have to carry me to the car, my feet are killing me."

"Oh, sweetie. Anything but that. This tux is too expensive for all of that rumbling around. But in lighter news, I can see our SUV from here."The street was lined with numerous black cars all with tinted windows. Bradford waved at his driver standing patiently on a side road waiting for his passengers.

As Olivia approached the sidewalk with her date, he assisted her into the large, black car helping her situate her long gown.

"Hey, can I have my phone back by the way?" He pointed at her clutch she had been carrying throughout the evening.

"Brad, I gave your phone back to you right before we walked out, when we were standing at the bar by the exit."

"Oh, blast! That's right. I was attempting to get a number from that handsome bartender before we left." He winked at her in case she didnt get the point." Let me run back, just stay here. Ill be two minutes, I promise!"

"Two minutes? Nothing you do takes only two minutes."

"You say that like its a bad thing, Liv," Bradford darted her an inappropriate look followed by him raising his eyebrows.

Liv laughed. "Just don't get lost in there."

Bradford started a slow jog back up the stairs and inside. Olivia figured now would be a good time to catch up on some emails. She looked down to scroll through her phone. Plenty of time had passed but she had alot of work from the evening that had already started to pile up. As she checked her messages she heard the door open.

"We'll that was faster than I thought you'd be." She slowly turned her attention to her friend and noticed it wasn't Bradford.

"Fitz." She jerked back with genuine surprise.

"Hey beautiful." He gave her a smile that sent an electric shock up and down her spine. His grey eyes looked bright and full of life. As she looked at him her mouth slightly opened, showing her to be slightly speechless. Fitz took that moment to admire her amazing dress and perfectly toned thighs through the revealing opening in her gown.

"When did you?...how? I didn't realize you were here tonight."

"That's not the _exact_ welcome I was hoping for Olivia, but ill take it. I flew in late this evening and then when I finally got here I was coerced into taking a few side meetings with a some of the guests. You know, everyone has thoughts and ideas theyre trying to pitch to me."

She sat there, trying to look composed. Really she was stuck in a gaze watching his lips move but not hearing anything. He looked great, as always. And smelled wonderful. He had already taken his jacket off for the night, probably leaving it with the driver in his nearby towncar. He had his sleeves rolled up. His arms looked perfect, and those hands.

"Liv? Did you hear me? How long are you in the city for?"

"Oh, sorry. Uh, a few days."

"I saw you were here with Brad. Are you staying with him or you're at a hotel?"

"What?" She was having a hard time processing what was happening. Here was the man she had fallen head over heels in love with, whom she hadnt seen or talk to in months, sitting right next to her, looking like James Bond and chatting it up as if they were sitting at Starbucks in the middle if the day, sipping a latte.

He looked her in her eyes, forcing her to make eye contact and focus."Where in the city are you staying? I'm sure Brad isn't making you sleep in this car..."

"I'm staying with him at one of his condos in SoHo" she was beginning to compose herself.

"Oh, perfect. Hey, I'm in town until Monday so lets do lunch. Tomorrow?"

"Um, no tomorrow I have plans"

Just as she said that Fitz' door swung open.

"Is this man bothering you?" Bradford joked and flashed his goofy smile. He sure did know how to change the mood. "Hey there, Mr. President. Looking sharp as always"

"Bradford Ellerbe. Always a pleasure to see you. Let me get out of your seat here." Fitz jumped out of the SUV, and allowed Olivia's date to take his place.

"I'm trying to grab Liv for a quick lunch tomorrow, but she claims she's busy."

Bradford pursed his lips and darted at Olivia. She darted a similar look back at him bugging her eyes quickly. He could see that she was trying to avoid one-on-one time with Fitz. But Brad knew their entire love story only after a long night involving him, Olivia, numerous bottles of red wine and an Adele CD on repeat. After being entranced by all if her Fitz stories that night, he'd decided thst he wanted nothing more than the two of them to work it out.

"She did tell me that she was busy during the day tomorrow, but actually, sweetie, I was just invited to dinner tomorrow night so looks like you're on your own in the evening too."

"Fitz, I'm assuming you're staying at the Trump Hotel since that's your favorite place during the weekend of the Gala." Bradford made the statement and could feel that he may have just shown that he knows too much information.

Fitz looked at him with a confused face. "Yeahhhh, how did you kno-"

"That's neither here, nor there. Ill send you the address to my condo and you can pick her up around, say, 8:30 for dinner?"

"Bradford, what if I'm not finished with work by the evening. You can't just make plans for me." Liv scolded him, trying to not be loud enough for Fitz to hear her.

As he watched her, Fitz placed his hands in his pocket and lightly laughed while staring at the ground.

"Liv, you don't HAVE to, but it's the least I can do. One simple meal, I think you'll survive." He made eye contact with her and gave a boyish smile, making Liv lose her bearings all over again.

"Um," she was trying to do damage control in her head but seemed to be having delayed reaction. "Sure, I guess tomorrow at 8:30."

"Yeah? Great! Thanks Bradford, I'll let you guys get home. See you tomorrow Liv!"

He stepped back, away from the car as Brad closed the window and the car drove off slowly.

"What the hell was that?! If I wanted to go to dinner I would have said yes as soon as he asked me."

"Oh honey, the way he looked and how good he smelled just now? You want to go, your brain just doesn't know it yet. You'll thank me later, trust."


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the** **next chapter! After reading the few reviews from chapter 2 I decided to give chapter 3 a chance. Thanks so much for the feedback. It truly does inspire me to write more, especially since Im not a writer. But knowing that others are enjoying this material brings great pleasure to me. FYI about chapter 3: There is some sexy time that definitely warrants the M rating. I hope it's not too much. But as always, let me know. The more reviews/feedback I receive the more I'm inspired to add another installment! Keep em coming! Happy reading:)**

"Hey doll! How's your day going so far?" Bradford asked.

"It's going well. I'm almost caught up with my work," she smiled into the phone.

"Soooo, tonight? Are you excited?"

"I guess. Honestly, Brad, I'm nervous. I haven't been alone with him in almost a year. That's awkward. Plus, I have no idea what to wear.."

"Liv, don't be mad. But I got you a dress from one of my friends spring collection. It's a hot dress, it'll look perfect on you. And I found some yummy shoes to go with it. Just look in my bedroom. I left the outfit laid out on my bed. You have to wear it! No ifs ands or buts about it."

"Ugh. Brad. I guess I should say thank you in me luck, I feel like I might need it."

"Hey, before I hang up, I've been dying to ask you this. Sooooo are you gonna tell Fitz about, ya know, the thing?"

"Bradford," Olivia said, almost pleading his name."I don't know. I really dont. I want to, but this is the first time we're getting a chance to talk. I'm not sure if this is the weekend for that. We'll see how tonight goes. That's kind of a serious conversation we need to have."

"Okay, I just had to ask, Liv."

"I know. Thanks again for the dress and shoes Brad. Ill see you tonight."

"Okay, beautiful. Smooches!"

As Liv hung up the phone she looked at her Movado watch and realized she needed to start getting ready if she was going to look halfway decent by 8:30.

As the sun set and left a magical glow in the sky Olivia heard a light knock. She quickly made her way to the front door with her shoes and clutchpurse in her hand. Standing in the doorway as she swung the door open was her tall, handsome date standing in front of her with his perfectly charming smile.

He looked at her and could only get out the word "wow".

"Thanks." Liv blushed and let out a girlish giggle. She stood before Fitz with her straightened hair and the perfect little black dress. It was a minidress, form fitting, molded to her body like a glove. The front had a deep vneck opening with a thin layer of see-through black chiffon covering up the bare skin in between her breasts. It was a revealing dress, but tastefully tailored to her body. Brad gave her the perfect pair of black heels to match with the dress.

Liv couldn't help but notice how handsome and in shape Fitz still looked. He was dressed in a fitted black business shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a nice pair of grey pants.

He leaned in the doorway to give her a quick sweet kiss on her cheek.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Sure. Let me just put on my shoes." He stood there still admiring her as she gained 5 inches within seconds. There was no denying to himself that he was having dinner with the sexiest woman a man could ask for.

They walked their way to Fitz' car which pulled off as he had already told his driver where to go. They pulled up to a quaint restaurant not far from the condo Olivia was staying at. Fitz smiled at her.

"Okay, so remember our trip to Italy? And we had that amazing pasta in that little cafe? And you forced us to eat there every day until the end of the trip?" Fitz laughed at the memory.

"Well not every day. Just every other day,"Olivia playfully corrected.

"Either way, I've had this restaurants pasta and I swear it's the SAME recipe. Every time I've eaten here I've thought of you."

Liv liked the idea of him thinking of her even though they weren't together.

He helped her out of the car, waking her to the back courtyard which was empty and set for only their table. It was beautiful, covered in natural ivy along the brick walls, the courtyard filled with white lights.

Liv and Fitz sat down enjoying an array of appetizers. They fell right back into their old ways of dining together. Easy conversation, even easier to laugh with one another. They talked about everything. Fitz' new job on the board of a bicoastal law firm a friend of his owned. His latest vacation with Karen and Jerry to China. The additions to the Ranch in Santa Barbara. Liv loved hearing about all of the changes since she last talked to him. They both were having an amazing night. The bottles of wine that Fitz kept ordering helped, too.

After consuming the perfectly cooked pasta and enjoying a variety of light desserts they began to remind one another of their last trip to Italy. Liv could tell from her speech that she was starting to really feel the effects of the alcohol. She didnt want to say anything embarrassing or out of line, so she tried to hint at Fitz that he should drop her back off at the condo.

"I think I should probably get back to my place, Fitz."

"Okay. It is getting kind of late. Plus, you're on the verge of being drunk. We both know what happens when you get drunk." Fitz teased her.

"I'm so NOT drunk. But, yes, it's late." She joked back.

They made their way to Bradford's condo as they drove in silence just enjoying being in one another's presence. Fitz offered to walk Liv up and she accepted.

He stood directly behind her as she unclocked and opened the door to the condo. She could feel her defenses turned around to face him.

"I'd invite you in, but I think Bradford will be getting home soon. I mean, not that I'm expecting something to happen. I mean, I'm not. I just meant that you can come in if you want to relax or talk but Brad will be here shortly, I'm sure. Well, at least, I think he is.."

Fitz smiled at her and chuckled at her obvious jittery demeanor.

"Sure, I'll come in and raid his scotch collection that I used to envy. When he gets home, I don't mind hitting the road."

Liv lead the way to the bar located in the corner of the apartment.

"Hey, there's nothing but cheap vodka and tequila here. Where's the good stuff?" Fitz laughed in surprise.

"Oh, actually Brad was telling me that he hasn't used this condo in a while. His scotch is probably at his other apartment in the city. Ill grab you some wine maybe?"

"Sure, I guess I could go for one more glass."

Olivia kicked off her shoes in front of the bar and walked across to the kitchen. Fitz plopped himself on one of the soft leather couches that faced the beautiful view of the city. But rather than looking out the window he couldn't help but watch Liv walk and bend over at the wine collection to find the best one to finish the night off with. Just as he was admiring her perfectly firm ass he heard her phone ring. She had been carrying it in her hand and let out a light laugh when she looked at the screen.

She quickly picked her head up to look at Fitz and motioned for him to remain quiet while she took the call.

"Hey crazy boy."

"Hey Liv! How was he date? Was it amazing? How did he smell? Did you get any? That dress was FIRE wasn't it? I hope you took a pic for me to drool over in the morning."

"No, Brad. I didn't take a picture. Yes, dinner was nice. And what do you mean in the morning? You're not coming home tonight?"

"Nope, that's actually why I'm calling honey. I'm staying at my friend Alexandra's amazing new apartment. I don't feel like making the trek back to the city. But I'll be back by lunch tomorrow and we'll catch up. Hate to do this, but I can't really chat much more right now. I'll see you in the afternoon. Ciao, Bella!" He quickly hung up, leaving Liv to laugh to herself at her unpredictable friend.

"So I take it Bradford isn't making it back here tonight." Fitz stood up and started walking towards Olivia.

"Um, no." Liv knew that this would possibly change the direction of their evening. If she knew she was going to have to condo to herself that entire night she wouldn't have invited him in. He looked so sexy to her, but she didn't want to jump into bed with him before they had a few serious conversations about how their relationship ended months ago.

"Listen, I'll just grab this wine," she picked the first bottle her hand touched, "and I'll give it to you to take home and keep. I'm feeling a bit tired and should probably turn in."

As she turned around with the bottle of red wine in her hand Fitz swiftly placed himself in her personal space. Olivia was caught off guard as he smoothly moved closer, trying not to make eye contact with him. He stood so close to her face, breathing in each exhalation she put out.

"Fitz, I..." Liv didn't even know what she was trying to say. Her chest started rising rapidly, her heart beating fast. Even though she would never admit it to him, and barely wanting to admit it to herself, it felt so good to having him stand this close to her.

He reached down to grab the wine bottle from her right hand and placed it on the counter her that her butt was now leaning against. No sooner than he put the bottle in a secure spot he began trailing his hands up her mini dress.

"Did you really think you could wear this little slutty dress tonight and get away with it?" He asked partly serious, partly playful.

Liv was feeling all kinds of warm and horny. She couldn't tell how much of it was because of Fitz and how much of it was because of the excess amount wine she had consumed throughout the date.

"It's just a dress Fitz." She dismissed, her arms hanging on either side of her body, allowing him to caress her inner thighs slowly with both of his hands.

"This isn't just a dress Liv, and you know it," he said in a deep, slow response. "This is a dress that screams 'I want to get fucked'.Tell me I'm wrong, Liv. Tell me." Fitz knew she couldn't admit that.

"Do you want me to stop?" His hands inching closer to her wet thong. He pulled his left hand up to her chin to lift her face so they were staring into one another's eyes.

"Do you want me to stop, Olivia?"

She stood there, looking at him, falling for him all over again as her brown eyes connected with his grey eyes. She could feel their souls melding as one with just a stare, and knew that if she truly told him to stop, he would. It would be the smart choice, even though that's clearly not what either of them wanted.

Olivia slightly gulped and managed to whisper out "Don't stop."

Fitz leaned down, still lifting her chin with his left hand, and kissed her. Olivia swore she didn't know where his tongue ended and where hers began. As they forcefully and passionately kissed Fitz managed to pull her black lace thong down far enough that she could step out of it without entirely breaking their kiss.

He reached further under her dress with his right hand, this time wasting no time before his pointer and middle finger joined one another inside of her pussy. His left hand firmly gripped the back of her neck. Their faces each were scrunched with pleasure. Both of them squeezing their eyes closed neither making a sound. Each just enjoying the feeling they had missed for so long. It wasn't clear at that moment who was receiving and who was giving the pleasure.

"Dammit, Liv. You're so fucking tight."

She was grinding into his hand slowly as he held her up, still holding onto the back of her neck tightly.

"Are you this tight for me, baby girl? Huh? God, Liv. Tight and wet. Just how I remember your perfect pussy. You must be loving my fingers right now, you haven't said a word." Fitz looked down at her, still grinding on his hand.

"Mmmmmm" was all she could get out.

"How does your pussy stay this tight?" He looked at her, as she opened her eyes to stare into his. She knew what that question meant.

"Fitz, don't stop."

"Tell me how."

"Fitz" She didn't want to answer his question.

"You didn't let anyone else, did you?" He went so deep after that question that Liv winced partly out of pleasure, partly out of pain. She licked her lips trying to control her breathing.

He continued to finger her deep, this time with three fingers. He began whispering dirty things in her ear. His warm breath felt so good."Tell me Liv, tell me you waited. You knew this was my pussy. Mmmmm. This is my pussy, baby. I own this pussy. I make it tight...I make it wet...I make it squirt..and I make it come. Nobody else. Tell me baby. You know it's true you dirty girl. Just tell me."

Olivia wimpered as she accepted that his dirty talk was about to make her come. She normally hated when Fitz sounded so possessive, but something about it tonight was driving her wild.

Fitz grabbed the back of her neck forcefully, making her open her eyes and tighten her jaw, holding her barely inches away from his face as he started to hurry his pumping with his fingers.

"Olivia, tell me."

She stared him dead in his eye, with as much composure as she could muster up, and said in a whisper,"It's your pussy Fitz. Now make me cum on those giant fingers of yours."

For the first time in the evening Fitz seemed as if he was going to drop the ball and finish before her. He loved when she got intense like that. And he especially loved hearing those dirty words come out of her beautifully shaped mouth. He was even more determined to make her come first.

"Good girl," he said, as he pulled her hair from the back of her head, ramming his hand into her pussy over and over again as fast as possible, forcing her to come right there in front of the counter.

"Fitz! God!"

"Mmmmmm" he slowly took his hand out from under her dress so they could both see the mess she made. He smelled his hand, smiling at her and raising an eyebrow at her as she watched. He slowly sucked his right ring finger and pointer finger, one by one. Leaving his middle finger for her. As he slid that finger in her mouth she moaned at her taste and let her tongue clean up her remains.

"You taste so good, Liv. Let me lick you for a minute baby."

"Uh-uh" Liv shook her head no. "Enough of you torturing me. You need to follow me. And just so you know, by the time we get to the bedroom, I want you naked."

Fitz was visibly disappointed that he couldn't eat her out right there but he knew he had something just as good about to happen."Yes ma'am," he replied.

He followed behind her as she lead the way, undressing himself as she sexily walked towards the guest bedroom. He noticed her lifting her arms up and taking her dress off in one sweep so she was completely naked by the time they passed the bedroom doorway.

"Get on the bed, big boy" she quickly nodded her head up in the direction of the large guest bed.

Fitz laid on the bed, with his back on the comforters, his erection sticking up waiting for orders from his petite lover. He tried not to come right then and there as he watched Liv crawl up the bed in between his legs.

"God, Liv. Baby, I don't know if I can last much longer. You're so hot baby."

"Mmmm, I think you can last, babe. I promise I'll be gentle." She winked at him as she grabbed his hard dick, and started jacking him off slow and hard. Both her hands sliding up and down firmly on his extended length.

"Fuck, Liv!" His hands gripping the comforters to try and control himself as he watched her work.

"Is this what you thought about since our last time? That was forever ago. I bet you've jerked off so many times thinking about how I love jacking your dick off for you"

"Mmmmhhm"

"Tell me Fitz. Tell me how you touched yourself thinking about us."

"God, Liv. I fucking jerk off all the time thinking about you."

"Mmmm I'm gonna put you in my mouth. You think you'll last?"

"Liv, I'm not gonna last. I'm almost..."

Before he could finish his sentence she had her whole mouth tightly around his entire shaft. Bobbing her head slowly up and down. Fitz' eyes were squeezed shut, knowing that any second he was going to lose control. Her full lips felt perfect around his dick.

"Fuck. Liv, stop. I cant...Please sit up" he said hurriedly as he decided to switch positions before he finished.

She was through torturing him so she obliged to his request. He swiftly positioned her on all fours, placing two pillows under her stomach. She knew he was about to go crazy and situated herself for the rough sex she was about to experience.

"You wanna torture this dick baby? I'll show you torture." He said slowly as he got in between her legs and carefully entered her wet pussy.

"Uhhhhhh. Yess!"

"Im gonna take you like this for a minute,baby."

"Yes" was all she could get out as she allowed him to settle his length in her wet heat.

"Tell me if I'm too rough, Liv."

"God Fitz, stop talking and fuck me hard!"

He laughed at her impatience knowing that he was driving her crazy.

He started at a steady pace grabbing both of her ass cheeks in large handfuls. He slapped her right cheeks hard one time triggering him to quickly switch to a faster mode of fucking. Fitz firmly grabbed her tiny hips slamming their bodies into each other uncontrollably. Over and over, causing her to scream "yes" and "fitz" in between each quick thrust. Her hair was going wild.

"Is. That. What. You. Want!" He yelled as he pumped into her yelling at the same rhythm as his hips.

"Harder!" She begged and ordered.

He picked her up grabbing both arms behind her back with his right hand, holding her waist on top of him with her left hand. She loved having his firm chest rubbing against her back. Fitz slammed her up and down not stopping until he felt her come on him, within seconds after being in this position.

"God! Yes! Fitz!" She slowed down, grinding into him deeply as she felt him climax while she was still enjoying hers. She felt him filling her with his warm liquid.

"Fucking making me cum! Dammit! Yes baby! Liv! Fuck you milk me so good baby girl...yess..."Fitz had an out of body experience in that moment while throwing his head back.

He let her arms go as she bent forward so he could slide out from behind.

"Oh my god Liv." Fitz said, barely keeping his eyes open. He scooted to the headboard so his back was against it as he sat up. "God, Liv. You are an animal."

She laid on her stomach breathing just as heavily as Fitz. Her head on its side so she could look at him. "I'm pretty sure you're the one that just railed me."

He let out a deep laugh in between breaths. "You kept saying harder. So that's what I did. Damn." He wiped his brow. And threw his head back into the headboard in ecstasy.

"Was it as good as you remember?" She asked with a devilish look, propping her body up on her elbows.

He crawled over and propped himself up on his stomach next to her.

"Actually, I think we lost our touch." He winked and laughed, kissing her shoulder.

She busted out laughing at his surprising response. "Maybe YOU did, but as for me...I think it's impossible for me to lose my touch, Doctor Grant." She flashed a smile and had a twinkle in her eye.

He grabbed her at her waist rolling on the bed with her so she was directly on top of him, giggling.

"You're always perfect Livvie," he said in a serious tone as she laid her head on its side on top of his chest. He kissed the top of her hair as he held her and whispered, "Always perfect."

They both eventually drifted off into a perfect sleep. The kind you only have after a perfect night like theirs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks everyone for the reviews! I appreciate the feedback and took everything into consideration. Just wanted to let the readers know that this is purely a fictional story that I've come up with to entertain myself and others as we wait for January 10 to roll around. Yes, I've clearly used aspects of the show but I've changed Fitz and Liv to characters that I find interesting. This chapters tone is a little different than the previous ones but it was needed before I can jump back into some fun stuff. Hope you enjoy. The reviews really did motivate me to write another chapter. Let me know what you think. Happy reading!**

"Mmmmm, well good morning to you too." Liv said as Fitz awoke his sleeping beauty by nuzzling her neck and giving her sweet kisses.

"Good morning," he stopped to look up and smile at her.

She looked well-rested, her previously straightened hair had more waves in it now and looked messy. But to Fitz it was a reminder of their wild night.

"You look wore out," he said as he laughed.

"Hey," Olivia knew he was just joking but telling the truth so she laughed and made her best pouting face.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You look beautiful, Liv. This is the only sight I ever want to see when I wake up."

Olivia tensed at that statement giving a noticeably forced smile. Last night was fun, and an amazing reminder of what they shared in the past, but it was by no means a reason for them to get back together. Serious conversations and decisions were needed for that.

"Come on, don't do that." Fitz knew where her mind was going. He situated himself so he was sitting up against the headboard and Olivia was under his arm, her head resting back against his shoulder.

"I can't help it Fitz. We can't just ignore the fact that this weekend was totally unplanned. Yes, we had a great night, and clearly you unleashed a side of yourself that had been pent up for a while," she slowly looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

"Hey, you wanna talk about not being able to help it. I've waited a long time to get you alone. A man has needs. Just so happens you're the only one that can take care of that." He gave her that winning smile again.

"Either way, we had reasons for breaking up. And we haven't spoken since , I-"

Fitz cut off her sentence before she could finish. "Well, we can't say that I didn't try to talk to you. We broke up for stupid reasons, Liv. And I really do think that you know that. I travelled all the time, you worked constantly. And we never saw each other. Once every couple of weeks isn't enough to make a relationship work. We were living on separate coasts and when we _did_ see each other, we were either catching up on work or having sex. That's not enough to keep two people together. And, when I said we needed to take a break, I literally meant a break. As in, I would go on my extended trip to Japan and we would take that time to individually figure out what changes we were going to make so that we could be together,the way we were in the beginning. I didn't expect you to stop returning my phone calls and emails. Hell, I flew to DC to talk to you face to face and you apparently decided to flee the country to avoid me."

"I did not _flee_ the country to avoid you. I'm a crisis manager, Fitz. Sometimes I have to go to wherever my client needs me. And besides, if you would've spoken to me, then I could have let you know that I wasn't gonna be around."

"I tried to call you, Liv, to give you a heads up. You ignored my call, as you've grown accustomed to, and didnt call me back. I left a voicemail but you probably deleted that before you even listened to it."

Olivia knew that everything Fitz was saying was true. But, she had her own reasons for avoiding him after they decided to take their "break". She was growing tired of the conversation, wanting to embrace the fact that they were lying in bed together before having to head back to their respective lives shortly.

"Can we put this conversation on pause? I'm in dire need of some coffee and a breakfast sandwich," she said, leaning her head in to kiss his chest.

"Sure, that's fine. But which one of us has to get dressed to go get it?" He said playfully.

"Rock, paper, scissors?"she asked.

"Rock, paper, scissors."

It was a trivial game, but one they used regularly to make silly decisions. Usually Olivia this time, Fitz did, causing both of them to fall into a serious laughing fit.

"Ugh! Fine! I'll go." She was pretending to be angry, not being able to fight back a smile as she threw on some yoga pants and a tshirt.

"Hurry back. You know I like my coffee piping hot," he teased. She gave him a wink and left the condo for the deli across the street.

Fitz laid in bed thinking about their night together and how good it felt to wake up next to her again. She made his world complete and he had to figure out how to get them back together. As he was thinking under the comforters he heard the front door open. But he soon realized that it was Bradford returning from his day trip.

"Abs, I don't know, I literally just walked into my condo. I haven't even seen Olivia face to face since two nights ago."

Fitz realized that Brad was talking on his phone to Abby. He wasn't trying to eaves drop, but Bradford was always so loud.

"Honey, if she didnt call you back last night, then maybe she was busy, if ya know what I mean. Lord, I hope she was busy. I want all the details. Either way, I'm sure she'll call you back this morning. She must still be asleep. I don't hear any movement. As soon as she wakes up I'll remind her to give you a call."

Fitz stood up to head to the shower in the guest room.

"I know. I'm dying to find that out too. I hope she told him. It's been too long. He has a right to know about the pregnancy."

Fitz stopped dead in his tracks. Did he just hear correctly?

"Well as of yesterday morning, she hadn't spoken to him about it. She was waiting for the right time. Blah, blah, blah. I just feel like now is the best time to let him know what happend. Oh, shit! Abby, I gotta call you back, I can't find my iPad. I hope I didn't leave it at Alexandra's. I gotta go raid my car, I really don't want to drive all the way back out there. Darn! Listen, I'll let you know when she wakes up,okay?"

Fitz heard Bradford leave the condo.

"Pregnant?" Fitz said to himself, his mind going a mile a minute. He felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. He wanted to call Olivia immediately but continued to head into the shower, anxiously waiting for her to get back. He wanted some answers, now.

"Hey wild man," Olivia pranced in with two coffees in her hand, offering one to Fitz. He had clearly just finished taking a shower and was fully dressed while straightening up the bed.

He grabbed it from her, not making eye contact.

"Thanks," he said coldly.

"Everything, okay? Don't tell me I wore you out so much that a shower takes all of your energy," she teased, trying to catch his eye.

He placed the cup down and stood up crossing his arms, looking at her straight in her eyes. She looked at him with a curious expression, her eyebrows narrowed.

"Liv, I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to ask you straight."

"Okay?" She put her wallet and coffee down on a nearby desk and faced him from across the bed.

He sighed and rubbed his hands through his hair.

"Fitz, you're kind of scaring me. Whatever it is, just say it."

He continuesd to stare at her from across the room.

"Tell me about the pregnancy."

Olivia's heart dropped as she let out a sharp exhalation. How did he find out? When did he find out? Why was he asking her now, after their amazing night together?

"Fitz? I...I"

"Please, don't play dumb with me, Olivia. I overheard Brad talking to Abby. So,just, dont.." He tried to remain calm but he knew he was beginning to raise his voice at her. He took a few seconds to compose himself, letting out a deep breath once he did.

Olivia sat on the edge of the bed searching for the right way to explain it.

"Alright," she took a moment to get her words right,"We were pregnant the day you left for Japan," she said almost as a whisper, her head slightly turned to look in his direction, but not directly in his eyes.

"We were pregnant." He said in an exhalation. It was more of a statement than a question. Fitz walked over and sat down next to her as they sat shoulder to shoulder.

"Liv, why didnt you tell me? What happend? How..." He trailed off knowing that he was beginning to ask too many questions at one time.

Olivia's voice became shaky and she looked down to the ground as she began to explain the situation.

"We had already decided to take a break. It was a few days after you left for your extended trip. I thought I was sick from the stress of the breakup but when I went to the doctors and she told me I was pregnant...I just. I figured I'd wait until my first sonogram to call you. But...I miscarried before the date of my scheduled appointment."

They both sat there, holding back tears.

"Liv, you should have called me the moment you found out. And the miscarriage...nobody should go through that alone. Yeah, I was halfway around the world. But I dont care where I was. Hell, if I was on the moon, and you called me, I-I would've"

"You would've jumped on the first flight back, Fitz," She cut him off finishing his sentence.

"You say that like its a bad thing, Olivia. You're damn right I would've jumped on the first flight back."

She noticed his tone starting to shift to anger. She raised her face so they could make eye contact.

"As soon as I found out, you were the first call I wanted to make. You were the only call I wanted to make. But, I decided that I would wait until the sonogram at least. And after I miscarried, really, what would have been the point of calling you? We weren't together, Fitz. So, you would fly back, canceling a month long trip, to what? Hold my hand during my appointments with my shrink?"

Fitz was speechless. He wanted to be angry but he was also sad. What if she hadn't miscarried? What if she had called him? He had quick flashes of what a pregnant Liv would look like. He put his arm around her waist pulling her into him closely kissing her temple.

"I'm sorry you went through that alone. Just...one more question..."he tried to search for the right words,"How far along were you?"

"Five weeks," she sadly replied.

He clenched his jaw fighting back tears.

"Fitz. It seems so long ago to me now. It really does. I had a bit of a hard time. I didn't want anyone to know, but Brad practically beat the information out of me. And Abby found me crying in my car one day after work, so I decided to tell her. Other than them and my therapist, I haven't spoken to anyone about it. And I really didnt know when to tell you. I'm sorry I waited so long. That's not exactly the kind of thing you mention on a date with your ex after eight months of not speaking."

Just then, Fitz's phone lit up. They both knew it was Tom letting him know the car was outside waiting to take him to the airport for his flight back to California.

"You should probably be heading out."

"No, I'll switch my flight to a later one. We're not finished talking."

"Fitz, really, you should go. We can finish this conversation some other time."

"Liv..."

"Please, let's just talk later. Last night was amazing, this morning not so much, but...it served its purpose." Fitz could tell Olivia was reverting back into business mode, closing herself off emotionally.

He stood up, and she followed him. They both walked to the door, Olivia handing him his coffee.

"Look," Fitz turned around to face Olivia, searching for the right words.

"Come on, lets just let it go for right now Fitz. Don't force it. Ill be back in DC by tomorrow. If you want to talk we can call or Skype."

He didnt bother trying to push the conversation, instead grabbing her for an affectionate hug. He turned around, walking away full of emotions.

Olivia was glad that it was finally out there. Sure, this was the first of many conversations they needed to have, but it was a start. She also reminded herself to wring Bradford's neck as soon as he got back to the condo.

Time seemed to fly as Liv returned to DC and threw herself back into work. Business was booming at her crisis firm and she was more than happy to spend her time expanding the company. A few times her mind would wander to thinking about Fitz. She was surprised at how many weeks had passed since the Gala without not even a phone call from him. Then Olivia reminded herself that they weren't together. Yes, they shared an unforgettable night with one another but the conversation the next day had completely changed the atmosphere. She knew Fitz was more than likely still angry and hurt about how he discovered their pregnancy and miscarriage. So, rather than trying to contact him, she accepted it for what it was: A weekend fling with an ex.

It had been a long day of work, and she was finally at home getting settled in a comfy pair of sweatpants and her favorite knit sweater. As she sat down in front of the tv with a few of her favorite magazines by her side, her phone lit up.

"How's my favorite old lady?"

"Hello Mr. Ellerbe," Liv said in a regal tone.

"Ohhhh I just LOVE it when you call me that," Brad replied in a deeper voice.

Olivia laughed. "Why do you always call me on Friday night after 9 o'clock? I could be busy you know."

"And, yet, you always pick up. Funny how that works. I can hear you shuffling your little hands the bowl of popcorn as we speak."

She looked down at the bowl right next to her and shook her head as she smiled into the phone.

"Guess who just flew into DC," he asked.

"Hmmmm. Let me guess," she said.

"Well I'll save you the trouble. Yours truly! I decided at the last minute to join some friends for a gallery opening this weekend in this nations great capital. Im dying to see you! Throw some clothes on, we're going out!

"Bradford, you're too much! You should've told me you were coming! I would've made dinner plans for us," she said in an excited tone jumping up to answer the door.

As she quickly swung the door open with the phone to her ear and a wide smile, she saw Fitz standing in front of her. Immediately she dropped her arms to her side, hanging up on Brad in one quick motion.

They stood there for a second, staring into one another's eyes.

"Hi," he said, waiting for her response.

"Hi."


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's the newest installment! I've been trying to write a new chapter every few days. Thanks for the reviews. They put a smile on my face and keep me motivated. Keep em comin! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy reading:)**

"What are you doing here?"

"It's good to see you, too," he said in a soft, slightly sardonic tone while standing in the hallway.

"Sorry, I just. I was expecting someone else."

"Oh,I see," Fitz looked down to the ground, wondering who she would be having over at this time of night.

"No, not... Brad just called me and invited me out unexpectedly. I thought he was surprising me. Come in, you don't have to stand out there."

Fitz walked into her house. It seemed like forever since he was there last. Everything looked exactly the same. He saw the pictures on her piano were all still there, even the ones of them when they were a couple. He didn't want to be obvious about it so he looked away quickly and smiled at her.

"Hi, Olivia." He walked closer to her, putting his arms around her gently for a hug.

She crossed her arms around his shoulders, melding into his body. She loved the way he hugged her. They always fit perfectly together. Fitz let go, walking backwards a few steps until his back was against the wall, enough distance to look at her completely. He placed his hands in his pockets.

"Really, Fitz. What are you doing here?"

"I was in New York again and finished my work a few days ahead of schedule. I've been thinking about you a lot, and decided to roll the dice and take the drive down here to see you. It's been too long Liv."

She walked over back to where she had been sitting on her couch while talking to Bradford on the phone.

"Oh my goodness," she just remembered that she hung up on Brad when she answered the door. She began calling him back. "I'm sorry, Fitz. I gotta call Brad back really quickly."

"That's fine." He walked over to sit on the other end of the couch.

"Hey Brad. Sorry I hung up on you. Something just came up, so I can't meet with you tonight...Yeah, I know...But we'll catch up before you head home, okay?...love you too. Bye." She put her phone down, and looked over at Fitz who was staring at her the whole time. His grey eyes looked tired, but he still looked handsome dressed in his suit and tie.

"I've missed you Liv."

"I missed you too."

"You haven't called me, it doesn't seem like you missed me."

"Well, I did. But if we're going that route, then you haven't called me either."

Fitz leaned forward to slowly take his jacket off. He threw it on the chair adjacent to where he was sitting. He sat back in the corner of the couch, his arm relaxing on the side.

He looked at her and in a calm, warm voice he asked,"Olivia, do you know that I love you?" She stared at him blankly.

He continued in a slow pace,"I'm in love with you. I think about you every day. You are my first thought when I wake up, and my last before I fall asleep. When I dream, I dream about you, about us. After our weekend in New York, that didnt change. But I felt like if you were feeling the same way, then you would call me. Or send an email...Something.I mean, I get it. Out of the two of us, I'm the more verbal one. I'm more emotional. But babe, sometimes I need to be reminded that I'm not fighting for something that you don't even want. So that's why I'm here. I don't want to wonder anymore. Is this what you want? Do you want us to try again? Do you want to work at this? At us?"

Olivia sat there in her corner of the couch, calmly taking in what he had just said. She stood up and walked over to where he was sitting so that she could sit as close to him as possible. She sat her tiny body right next to him, propping herself on her knees to face him as she grabbed his hands into hers, while looking him in his eyes.

"Fitz, I love you too. You're right, it's hard for me to be verbal about it. I get so wrapped up in my life and my job. I'm still trying to figure out how to do it all. I want us to be together, but it's not easy for me. I don't know how to make us work. I honestly don't. When we're together, I couldn't ask for anything more. But we live on different ends of the country, and we both are consumed with work. I hated it when we would argue about which one of us works too much and why don't we set aside time for each other. It killed me to yell with you when all I wanted was to just be with you. Just sit, sometimes in silence, and just be. I want that back, I do. But I think I need help figuring out how." Liv surprised herself in her honesty asking for help.

Fitz grabbed her hands and kissed each one separately.

"I accepted a permanent position in New York City this week."

"What?!"

"Yeah. They really wanted me to give it a try. And I accepted it. I know it's not the same as me living in DC but its a quick drive and an even faster flight. So, I want us to try again." He brought his hand to Olivia's face and held it as they stared into one another's eyes.

"I want to try again too Fitz," she replied raising a hand to hold his against her face. She kissed the inside of his palm.

Fitz started talking."I know it won't be easy, and we have to really figure out some ground rules about seeing each other and talking regularly. We can't go days without even hearing each others voices with the quick commute I don't see why we won't be able to be with each other most weekends."

Olivia smiled at the thought of them making the relationship work. She was happy that he would be on the east coast with her and was hopeful about the possibilities for them as a couple.

" a start." She let out a deep breath."So what's the plan for the rest of your weekend?" She asked.

"I'm not sure exactly. I was hoping you and I could get some rest and kind of go wherever the wind takes us. I have to head back west to tie up some lose ends but thats not until next week. We have a few days to catch up and makeup for lost time."

Liv liked the sound of that. She crawled up to Fitz, placing herself in his lap, her tiny legs wrapped around his waist. She put her hands on either side of his face and leaned in for a slow passionate kiss. Fitz placed his hands on her waist grabbing her into him. As he did that, their kiss got deeper, Liv tilting her head to allow his tongue further into her mouth. He pulled back, nipping her bottom lip as he brought one hand up to slightly grab the back of her neck.

"Mmmmm, Fitz," Olivia moaned as he began kissing and slowly licking her neck. He finished his exploration beneath her chin, peppering small kisses up to her cheek.

She leaned back to look at him.

"I'm starving, Liv," Fitz said tiredly.

"Starving as in food right? Not the other thing." She had to ask, not sure as to what he was referring to.

He chuckled and held her hips close to him."We'll I'm always hungry for that other thing, but right now I'm hungry for some food. Like, pizza, Chinese, anything really. I haven't eaten since this morning and I was too anxious to eat before I got here."

She gave him a quick kiss on his lips."Thats cute," she said while smiling at him."And since you're literally hungry and not referring to giving me some kind of pleasure, ill order some Chinese for you."

"Don't get me wrong, I plan on doing alot of that other kind of eating this weekend. We have some time to makeup for. But for now, some egg rolls will do just fine." He smiled at her, exciting her about their weekend together.

"I'm gonna go put the order in. If you want to change I still have some of your clothes in the bottom right dresser drawer."

Liv stood up to grab her phone and place the food order. Fitz sat for a minute as she scrolled through her contacts to find the number she had saved from their favorite takeout spot. He watched her as she dialed, smiling at her.

"What?" She looked at him and whispered while waiting for someone to answer the call.

"Nothing," he responded, standing up walking past her. He quickly kissed her shoulder and squeezed her ass as he walked by her to the bedroom to get changed. She let out a light squeal in response, making him laugh. She placed the order and grabbed some blankets from the chest in her living room for them to cuddle with on the couch.

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" She yelled from the living room while he changed.

"Sure. I might fall asleep, but I'm game."

"You always fall asleep. That's nothing new."

He walked out to the living room with a fitted dark blue tshirt on and a pair of light gray sweatpants.

"Not always. Only when you make me watch sappy stuff like On the Hill."

"You know that's not what it's called. Trying to be funny."

He plopped himself on the couch dragging her with him.

"Oh that's right. I meant Notting Hill." He lightly laughed, kissing the top of her head, her back resting against him.

"Its my favorite movie! Just for that, guess what we're watching..."

"You know that either way, that's the movie we were gonna watch." He poked her side making her squirm and laugh.

The night continued with them laying on the couch, enjoying their Chinese food, and watching Livs favorite movie. Fitz fell asleep, as promised. His snoring became too loud for her to enjoy any more of the film, so she woke him up, walking with him to bed. They both fell asleep immediately, wrapped up in one another's arms until the morning.

"Fitz, baby, wake up," she whispered in his ear while rubbing his back. Olivia was propped on her side laying slightly higher than him.

He was sleeping on his stomach and started moving at the feel of her hands. He groaned into his pillow.

"Its too early to wake up."

Liv snickered. "It's 10:30 in the morning. It's not too early, it's too late. Half the day is almost gone." She began softly kissing his shoulder, causing him to turn his head and look at her.

"You better stop unless you're trying to get me hard," he said with a smile.

"Mmmm, always."

"Oh yeah? Is that how we're starting this day off?"

"If you want to, I don't see why not." She started scratching light circles on the skin under his tshirt. He slowly turned over so he was on his back and she continued caressing him, now along his abdomen, sliding her hands down under his briefs to his growing bulge.

Leaning into his ear again she said,"looks like little Fitz wants to come out and play."

Fitz looked at her with one eyebrow raised,"Little? Has it been that long that you've forgotten?"

She squeezed his growing length firmly causing him to let out a deep growl.

"Little, _big_ Fitz?" She asked in a sarcastic tone while still rubbing him.

"How about Fitzgerald Thomas the Fourth?"

Olivia let out a loud laugh."You're so cocky."

"Yeah, that's the point!" He laid there letting her rub him, massaging his hardening member. Watching her beautiful eyes staring at him.

"Let's go take a shower Liv."

She leaned to kiss his mouth but he slightly pulled away.

"Hey, what's that about?" She paused her hand movements in between his legs.

"Morning breath." He looked at her with an embarrassed look, slanting his lips awkwardly.

"My breath stinks? I already brushed before I woke you up."

Fitz laughed."No, not you, me. My breath is gross. You know I get wierd about that. Come on, you can start the shower and get nice and soapy for me. I'll brush my teeth and gargle and then we can resume this little thing you got going on." He winked at her, grabbing her hand and leading her into the bathroom.

She undressed out of her clothes from the night before. Fitz staring at her the entire time. She tied her hair up in a high bun and jumped in the shower.

"Fitz I could really use some company in here." He could see her lathering body wash on herself. Seeing her wash her breasts through the steamed glass almost made him come without even touching her.

"Am I interrupting?" He playfully asked as he stepped in under the warm water with her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, her arms around his neck. They began kissing deeply as he pressed his erection against her stomach.

"Minty fresh." Olivia said in between a kiss. He laughed, sliding his tongue into her mouth even further.

They walked into the wall of the shower, Livs back leaned against it. Their kissing was passionate and full of desire. Fitz raised his hands to grab hers from behind around his neck. He intertwined their fingers, lifting her arms straight above her body against the wall forcing her to lock her elbows.

"You're so sexy Olivia," he moaned in her ear.

She could only manage to let out a light whimper.

"You're making me so wet Fitz."

"Mmmm. Really?" He leaned back to look at her face. They smiled at each other."I'll be the judge of that."

He let go of her hands, which she immediately placed back in his wet, curly brown locks. As he kissed his way down her body she prepared herself for what he was about to do.

He got low enough to be on his knees, the hot water beating down on him. He lifted Livs leg to place it over his shoulder, using his large hands to hold her body steady.

"You okay?" He asked looking up at her.

She looked down at him,touching the side of his face, loving the fact that he just asked her that. All she could manage was a nod in response. He gave her an intense gaze, taking in the beautiful woman he was about to enjoy.

He slowly began to lick her giving long strokes with his wide tongue. Slipping in between her slit delicately. He loved how she tasted and she loved how he felt.

"Fitz," she said, almost as prayer. He licked deeper, burying his face in between her legs. He lifted her other leg so that she was propped with her back against the shower wall, both legs resting on either of his shoulders. She began grinding into his face as he held her hips steady. Olivia felt like he had been eating her for hours. She scratched the top of his head, pulling at his hair.

"Oh. Fitz. I'm...I'm gonna," just then her thighs clenched Fitz' neck as he held her tightly while she proceeded to unravel.

She was panting deeply with her mouth wide open trying to pull herself together. Fitz carefully began to stand up maneuvering her legs around and down his body until they were both standing face to face. He held her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly.

"You taste so good," he whispered. "I hope that was what you needed to get your day started right." He smiled and kissed her neck,lightly licking and biting it.

"Mmmmm. Don't think I didn't notice Fitzgerald Thomas the Fourth is still needing some attention." She grabbed his hard cock and began stroking it."Tell me what you want."

"God, Liv. You just love jerking me off don't you?" He leaned his head back enjoying the feeling of both her hands pulling at his erection.

"Tell me, Fitz. What do you want?Anything," she whispered. The shower steam made the air thick making it harder to breathe. She was breathing deeply standing with his body pressed so tightly against hers.

"I want you to turn around. I want to take you from behind," he said firmly as he stared into her brown eyes.

Without even responding she turned around, facing her back to him. Liv raised her arms so her palms were planted on the tiled wall in front of her. She slightly arched her back, letting Fitz know she was all his. He took the cue and stepped into her while grabbing her hips. He slid in perfectly as she was still swollen and wet from his tongue.

"Fuck," he groaned, raising his arms to meet her hands against the wall. He began a slow grind into her tight pussy.

"Ohhhh God, Fitz. You feel so good baby."

He kept the motion going, savoring this perfect feeling, knowing it wouldn't be long before he came. His deep, circular grinding soon transitioned into a pumping motion. Olivia kept her hands on the wall, letting him take her however he needed.

"I'm so close, Liv. Spread your legs a little more for me baby."

"Mmmm, yes." She spread her legs.

The change in position, however slight, made Fitz crazy.

"Damn, Liv," his right hand slapped her right ass cheek once. He started to fuck her hard, pounding into her in a quick, steady rhythm.

"Fitz, Im gonna come again!"

"Yes baby. Come for me. I'm almost there!"

He slammed into her deeply and she took it all. Within seconds he could feel her pussy tighten around his cock.

"Fitz!" She let his name linger from her mouth as she came for the second time. Almost immediately he felt his body tighten as he reached his climax. He released into her.

"Fuck, Olivia!" He screamed her name loudly as he pulled her into him as closely as they could get. She felt drugged. Weak, dizzy, disoriented. She stood up, slowly straightening herself as he removed himself from inside her.

He grabbed some body wash and lathered it in his hands as he began to wash her entire body. They stood in silence under the beating water as she allowed herself to be taken care of by him. After they cleaned up they both left the shower together, drying off and getting into comfortable clothes they could go grab food in.

"For the record," Fitz said as he got situated in his jeans, "that was one of the best showers I've ever had." They made eye contact and he winked at her causing her to smile widely.

"Which was better," she asked, walking closer to him while buttoning her blouse,"our shower just now, or our shower at that ski resort? Remember, the one in Utah? It was the night that you surprised me with my necklace." She stood in front of him with her doe eyes, almost as if she were replaying that evening in her mind right then and there.

"I think this is a trick question," he joked and smiled, grabbing her around her waist."But, if my memory serves me correctly, we didnt stop for hours that night. And you were all kinds of wild. I think being in nature brought out a side of you that I hadn't known existed. Actually, now that I think of it, maybe we should take another ski trip. I could go for hitting some slopes. And, of course, exploring Livvie in the wild." He laughed a little, kissing her neck.

"Mmmm. Yea, I could go for that too."

As she raised her arms to reach around his shoulders, Fitz's phone began to vibrate. It was on a nearby table.

"I should probably grab that."

"Yeah, I think so," she nodded and smiled.

Fitz picked up the phone realizing it was Karen trying to FaceTime him.

"Dad!" She exclaimed in excitement as his face showed up on her screen. Olivia knew that Fitz and the kids kept in contact regularly and thought it was great. She wanted to give him some time to catch up with his daughter so she walked to the bedroom to grab laundry.

"Hey, Karen! What's up kiddo? I thought we were supposed to FaceTime this evening? Did I have my time wrong?"

"Nope. You're right. That was the plan. But my roommate invited me to go to dinner with her and a few people so I wanted to try and grab you now."

"Oh,cool. So what's new? I mean, I know I just talked to you a few days ago."

"Yeah, everything's the same. Really I wanted to chat with you for a selfish reason. I'm just being nosy. Did you end up seeing Liv at all? On Monday you said you might travel to DC and see her at the end of the week."

"Funny you should ask.I'm at her place now. We're about to go grab breakfast."

"What?! You're at Liv's crib?! Where is she? I wanna say hi!"

Fitz thought her excitement was adorable. He made his way to the bedroom where Olivia was making a pile of dirty clothes. He handed the phone to her. On the screen was a beautiful teenager, dark brown hair, and grey eyes like her father.

"Oh my goodness! Look at you! How are you babe?" Olivia loved Fitz's kids. She fell in love with them the moment she met them on the trail. They were pretty good about keeping in touch after the presidency but after the breakup it wasn't as easy.

"I've missed you Liv! You look great! I mean, seriously, you're the only person that gets hotter as they get older. It makes me kinda sick," she scrunched her face which playfully turned into a smile and laughter.

"So I guess if you guys are at your place, in the middle of the day, things are going well? Tell me you worked it out, please. I can't take my Dad calling me every other day out of loneliness and boredom."

"Hey!" Fitz yelled from the background, walking over to Liv. He stood behind her so they both fit in the screen."You're a trouble maker, Kare," he said while smiling.

"Awwww, you guys are so cute. I'm gonna take a screenshot picture real quick. Smile!"

They posed together, Fitz' chin resting on Olivia's shoulder, their faces right next to each other.

"Perfect. Look, I gotta go guys, but I'll talk to you soon. Liv, when are we gonna get to see you. I'm sure Jerry's gonna wanna see you too."

"Well, whenever. Now that your dad is going to be living on the east coast we can probably travel up to see you kids. I'd love to visit New Hampshire soon. It's the perfect time of year."

"Maybe a ski trip in a month or so? Liv and I were just talking about how she loves the great outdoors" Fitz smirked, pinching Livs ass causing her to almost drop the phone.

She slightly turned to dart him a look from the side of her eye.

"Yeah that's cool. Just text me the dates so I can make sure I don't have any other plans. Ill let Jer know. I really gotta go guys. Love you!" She blew air kisses into the screen at them and ended the call.

"She looks really good, Fitz. I'm glad she's enjoying herself at school."

"Yea, you know Karen. She's a good girl. Jerry on the other hand...talk about a ladies man," he scoffed.

"And I wonder where he gets that from." She stated sarcastically while poking him hard in his chest.

"Ow! Listen, I can't help it around you. Speaking of which, I hope you're already thinking about that ski trip. I want you to bring that bag of tricks you used to have. You _do_ still have it, don't you?" Despite the casual context of the conversation, Fitz was dead serious about his last question.

"Jeez, Fitz. Yes, I still have it. You act like that bag carries gold or something."

"Uhhh, the stuff you have is wayyyy better than gold. I cannot wait for this trip now."

Olivia laughed at his excitement

"Yea, I can tell. I'm excited too. But if you don't feed me, I might whither away, and then that means no trip, and no bag of tricks."

"You're right. Lets get going."

They walked towards the door. Olivia turning off lights and grabbing her keys.

"Oh, and you definitely have to bring that little outfit I like."

"Fitz, we haven't even booked the hotel yet..."

"I'm emailing my assistant as we speak."

"You're relentless..."

"Just don't forget the outfit."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's the latest always, leave a review:) Knowing that people are actually reading my story inspires me to write more chapters. And more reviews usually means a faster update. so keep em comin! Hope you enjoy!**

"Hey! I'm pulling up now. Can you make sure the door is open? I gotta use the bathroom before I burst."

Fitz laughed into the phone."Well I guess this conversation confirms that we're into the comfortable stage in our relationship!"

"Yeah, whatever. I'm running in now. Open the door."

Fitz leasurely walked over to the door of the log cabin he had rented for the two of them and opened it as Olivia's car pulled into the snow-covered driveway. He watched as she hurriedly jumped out of the car and ran quickly into the house.

"Hey babe! Be right back!" She ran past him at full speed and headed straight into the bathroom."Oh, my, god! I seriously thought I wasn't going to make it!" She yelled from the bathroom. As she pulled herself together and tidied up she calmly walked into the main room where Fitz stood in disbelief with a smirk on his face.

"Sorry," she said slightly embarrassed and shrugged her shoulders,"when a girls gotta go she's gotta go." She walked over to him and stood right in front of him with her arms hanging by her side, still wearing her winter pea coat and black beret hat. Her head tilted back so she could look at him given the major height difference due to her flat riding boots.

"Hi," he said with a smile as he put his hands on her waist.

"Hi, handsome. I've missed you," she stood on her toes to reach his lips. They sweetly kissed as he tilted his head down to meet her halfway.

"I've missed you more, Liv."

"Mmmm. Not possible. But that's sweet."

"Two and a half weeks? We really have to do better than that."

"I know, I know. I've been so busy with my latest clients, and between your conference in Germany and getting settled in New York...it's just been a lot. We'll do better, I promise. But enough of that, I'm just glad we're here now." They talked as they stood in each others arms, Livs head resting on his chest.

"I'm so happy we got to take this trip." He kissed the top of her head.

"Ummm, Fitz. This is really nice, but I was expecting a little more noise in the house. Where are the kids?"

"Oh, they'll be here a little later. They went snowboarding while they were waiting for you to get here." He pulled away to grab her jacket for her."Let me grab this for you. And I guess you have some luggage in the car, right?"

"Such a gentleman," she smiled at him.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll grab your stuff from the car." He put on his shoes as Liv walked around exploring the cabin. She'd heard them talk about this Ski Resort as one of the families favorite but this was her first time there. The cabin was large, made from logs, but had a very modern interior. Family pictures of the kids and others from the Grant side graced various parts of the house. Olivia stopped and smiled as she saw one above the fireplace of her, Fitz, Jerry, and Karen on the trail.

"Seems like forever ago, huh?" Fitz took her by surprise as he watched her from a few feet away.

"Wow, yeah." She shook her head almost in disbelief in all that had happend since that picture was taken.

"That was before everything. Before our first time...before the inauguration, before the divorce. That was back when you were just my beautiful campaign fixer." He walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders whispering in her ear,"I couldn't have imagined how hard I was gonna fall in love with you."

She turned around to look at him him holding his face in her small hands."Me too."

"Liv!" Karen yelled from the front door.

Fitz turned around grabbing her hands to walk them over to the front of the cabin.

"Ahhh Livvie!" Karen ran over to her, her face red from the cold. She threw her arms around Olivia. They embraced one another.

"Hey beautiful! Gosh, you look so much like your mom!"

"Thanks! You look great! I'm feeling this outfit! Very French of you." She stepped back to take a full look at Olivia.

"Oh, thanks. Hey, where's your crazy brother?"

"Crazy?!" Jerry exclaimed as he walked in, almost on cue.

"Oh, man, Liv! My heart can't take it! You look great!" He stood tall over her, the same height as his father.

"Still very much the flirt, huh,Jer?" She laughed as they hugged.

"Listen, next time you and dad go on a break, I'll gladly take you out."

"Next time?" Fitz chimed in, with a laugh."I wouldn't bank on a next time, sport. How were the slopes?"

"They were good, the powder is perfect today. I know it's kinda late, but you're comin out boarding with us tomorrow. Right, Liv?" Jerry asked.

"Yup, I'm there. In the meantime, you kids hungry?"Olivia asked.

"Kinda. We had lunch with The Tresnick kids. I can always eat ya know," Jerry answered.

"Really? Are they here with their family?" Fitz asked curiously.

"Yeah! Oh by the way, Dad, they asked us to go to some party they're parents are throwing tonight in the main lodge. Mr. T actually told us to bring you, too. So you gotta come." Jerry was talking and making a mess in the kitchen, trying to fix himself some food.

"Jer let me do that for you." Olivia took over preparing his food. "So, we're supposed to go to some dinner party with this family, but who are they?"

Fitz stood with a smile on his face, in his mind he was going down memory lane. "Bob Tresnick, I've known him for years. We were in college together. Went to law school together. Pretty much his entire family practices law. Hes a good guy, always a good time. I'm sure it'll be fun if you're up to it Liv."

"I don't see why not." She looked up and smiled, handing Jerry a plate of food.

"Thanks Liv!" He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. She smiled widely, showing all her teeth and blushing a little."I'm gonna take this to go. C'mon Karen. I'll drop you off at your cabin before I head to mine. We'll meet you guys for the party in the main lodge at 8 tonight. Is that cool?"

Everyone agreed to meet at the party. The kids left and Fitz and Liv took a nap on the couch. As soon as they woke up they began talking and catching up on what's been going on in one another's lives and work. That lasted only but so long as they began making love right there on the living room floor. Afterwards they were exhausted but managed to take a shower and get to the party promptly at 8pm.

They mingled with the guests, many of whom Fitz knew from vacationing at the resort for so many years. He enjoyed catching up with Bob and his wife, Taryn. Liv was surprised at how much she was enjoying herself. Even though the room was full of powerful businessmen and their wives she felt comfortable. The atmosphere was nice, large fireplaces burning wood throughout the lodge. Everyone was dressed in casual yet expensive winter clothes. It was nice to just relax among Fitz's peers as a doting couple. She looked and noticed the kids were in a corner mingling with others their age.

"Oh, there's Katarina. Katarina! Over here!" Taryn yelled across the room waving her arm.

"Leave it to my baby sister to get here as the party is ending." Bob said in a playful tone.

As Olivia looked to see who they had called over to join them she noticed a tall, blonde woman with bright blue eyes approaching them. She wore a thin, cream colored, off-the-shoulder sweater with dark tight fitted jeans. She clearly was around her age, and it was plain to see she that her body was in great shape. Liv was actually impressed.

Katarina embraced her brother and sister in law. When she looked at Olivia she gave a simple smile and introduced herself. As soon as she turned to Fitz, though, a wide smile covered her face.

"Well, well, well. Fitzgerald Grant the Third. Long time no see." She kissed his cheek , noticeably the same height as Fitz.

He gave her a slight hug. "Hey, Kat. Didnt know you'd be here this weekend."

Olivia noticed Fitz's uncomfortable response. To anyone else it may have seemed like nothing. But to her, a flag went up. His grey eyes tried to remain neutral but his breathing slightly changed and he wasn't making eye contact with her.

"Olivia and Fitz are here together, Kat." Taryn chimed in.

"Oh, really?" Katarina seemed genuinely surprised looking at Liv, staring at her from head to toe.

"Kat, you've probably heard of her. DC's number one fixer! Olivia Pope." Bob sounded like a personal advertisement for her.

"Olivia Pope? Of course I've heard of you." She turned her attention to Fitz."Wow, I had no idea, Fitz."

He laughed slightly trying to brush off any obvious tension.

"It's nice to meet you. Katarina, is it?" Olivia knew she was being petty but she didnt care.

"Yes, Katarina. You can call me Kat if you'd like."

"Kat's been working under Fitz at the firm for some time now. Well after she finished Law School and all. Hopefully she'll be sitting on the Board right along with him before long." Bob chimed in. He continued to explain all of the trips she had been on as one of the newer members to the firm. Katarina was genuinely amused by her brothers enthusiatic portrayal of his sisters work. Every so often she would add little tidbits from the trips and conversations she had shared while working with Fitz.

"Yes, I've been very fortunate. The last name does help. And working with this guy here," she smiled at Fitz and made strong eye contact,"well, our time together has been...very productive."

Liv had enough of the conversation."If you all would excuse me I'm going to go use the little girls room." Fitz went to follow her. She turned around as soon as she felt him shadowing her."I'm fine, Fitz. Stay with your friends. Catch up with them. I'm sure _Kat_ has some more stories to tell."

He stood in place and watched her walk away.

"Great," he said to himself in a low voice.

The night ended shortly after that, and everyone went seperate ways to turn in for the night. The quick drive back to the cabin was a silent one. Fitz parked the car and before he knew it Olivia was already in the cabin.

"You're mad at me." Fitz stopped dead in his tracks and stated bluntly.

Olivia rushed around the house picking up plates and cups the kids neglected to clean up earlier.

"I'm not mad at you, Fitz. You give yourself too much credit sometimes." She snipped back harshly, not making eye contact. She tried to appear busier than she really was, walking past him to the kitchen. He followed her.

"Right. Well before we left for the dinner party at the lodge you were fine, now you won't even stand still for a minute to look at me."

She stopped everything she was doing, loudly placing all of the objects in her hands on a nearby table and stared at him across the room.

"I'm looking at you," she responded rudely with her arms crossed in front of her small frame.

"Okay."

"Okay...so, what? You need me to assure you every 5 minutes that I'm thinking about you and only you?"

Fitz gave her a puzzled look.

"Right. Well, that's not me. And I think you know that." She picked up her items from the table and brought them to the kitchen sink where she began washing them.

"What the hell has gotten into you? This shitty temper tantrum you're throwing is starting to piss me off!" He yelled at her.

"Do NOT talk to me like that. I'm not one of your subordinates. I don't take orders from you." She darted him a look.

"Liv, don't pull that with me, alright? I can ask you what's wrong without it being about which one of us is wearing the pants. Besides, we both know who that is most of the time!"

She turned around slowly, seething with anger while drying her lips were tightly pursed. The dry towel she was using was quickly thrown to the counter.

In an unusually calm voice she slowly said, "You wanna know what my _problem_ is, Fitzgerald? Ill tell you what it is. Tonight, at that dinner, you're little board member Katarina seemed pretty comfortable around you. And, you know what, that's fine. She can laugh at all of your corny jokes, she can grab your arm or touch your back when she thinks I'm not paying attention. Hell, you can even let her do those things. Whatever it takes to keep the peace between you and your business partners. That doesn't bother me," her voice raising as her rant went on,"what DOES bother me, is the fact that you didn't tell me she was with you on your ENTIRE trip to Germany. Or that she was being trained under you while you were in Japan. Or that every meeting, call, and weekend business trip, has included her in some way or another. The fact that you didnt even mention any of that to me means that you felt the need to HIDE that information. So, clearly, there's a piece to this little puzzle that you've been keeping from me."

"Are you out of your mind? I think the elevation up here is causing you to lose it. I didn't mention it because its not a big deal! We work together, that's it!"

"Bullshit! I heard her talk in detail about how she finds your everyday morning routine hilarious. Now, how would she know anything about that?"

"Oh my god," he said in a dry tone as he rubbed his temple with both hands,"Olivia! That's why you're mad?! You think Im sleeping with her?!" His face was turned towards her, staring into her eyes in utter confusion.

"Maybe not right now, but tell me you've never had a relationship with her, other than work. You and I see each other, what? Every couple of weeks? If that? The whole time you and I weren't together, you never once went out with her? Come on Fitz, don't come at me with some pathetic story about only having a work relationship with her. It insults my intelligence!"

"It's never enough, is it? I do everything I can to make this work, and you LOOK for reasons why it can't!"

"Tell me I'm wrong then. Go ahead! Tell me I'm completely delusional!"

He stood in front of her, both of them breathing heavily from the argument. Fitz couldn't believe they were having this conversation on a perfectly relaxing family trip. Why did he have to run into Katarina at the Lodge?

"Well?" She asked waiting for his response.

"Yes! Okay?! While you and I weren't together I went on a few dates with her."

"Wow, Fitz. That's just great, really,that. Is. Great." The sarcasm in Olivia's voice was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Liv, you weren't returning my calls, we were clearly not together. And quite frankly, I didn't know if we would ever GET back together."

"Did you fuck her." She said it more as a statement then a question. Her voice sounded controlled but it was clear she wanted an answer, and quick.

"Excuse me?"

"Did you. Fuck. Her." She annunciated her words slowly in the slight chance that he didnt hear her correctly the first time.

"Olivia, considering that you and I weren't together, I don't see why you're bringing that up."

"The same reason that you would bring it up if the situation involved me!"

He scoffed at her."well then. to answer your question, Not exactly," he said in a cold emotionless way.

"Not exactly? So, then what? You went down on her?...No. Let me guess. She gave you a blowjob."

"Wow, that's classy Liv. You know what, you're a grown ass women so Ill give you the grown ass answer. Yeah! We went to dinner, and she gave me a blowjob after. Is that what you wanna hear? Will that help you sleep at night now?! Do you want the details about where and when and how and if she was any good? Maybe we could get her in here so she can give you the details herself, maybe you two can swap notes." As soon as Fitz felt those last words come out he knew he took it too far. He immediately shut his mouth and wanted to apologize. Olivia stood in front of him disgusted. Tears were beginning to well in her brown eyes. Her full lips slightly parted letting out quick exhalations.

"You're a real jackass you know that?" She whisked by him to grab her jacket and car keys. He felt the size of an ant.

"Olivia, don't go," he grabbed her arm holding it firmly.

"Let go of me, now!"

She ripped her arm away from him angrily and stood in place trying to compose herself. Thick tension filled the small space between them as she refused to look at him.

"You shouldn't drive when you're upset, especially in this snow. You stay, Ill go. Jerry has an extra bedroom in his cabin. That's where I'll be." Fitz was still mad but he also felt embarrassed at how quickly things escalated. He didnt want it to get any worse then it already had. Within seconds he walked out, not grabbing anything but his keys. Olivia stood in the same spot for moments trying to wrap her mind around what had just happend.

She couldnt sleep and called Bradford, figuring that he would be the only one up late into the night.

"Damn, Liv. You really asked if she gave him a blowjob? Lord, honey. You just went right for it, didnt you."

"I know. That was fucked up. I shouldn't have asked. I didn't really want to know, now that I think of it. But he just stood right in front of me with that coy response,"not really". Not really? Not really? Of course I'm gonna get to the bottom of that stupid answer."

"Well, yeah. But, sweetie, and just listen to me when I say this, you two weren't together. It's not like he cheated on you."

"I know that," she replied in a soft, girlish tone."I just...if Fitz told me from the beginning that he had a coworker who he dated briefly and that they still work closely together, then, yeah, I would want some details. But I would have let it go. The fact that I didn't even know she existed just made me suspicious. Here I am, his ignorant little girlfriend just smiling away, while hotstuff Katarina is standing there knowing my boyfriends penis size, from personal experience. He should have told me."

"Sounds like you're mad at yourself for not knowing. You're right, he should have told you. I know you, and I know you would have taken it well. More than well. But, do you think there's anything still going on? I mean, Fitzgerald Grant loves himself some Olivia Pope! I doubt he would even dream of cheating on you, especially after all you've been through."

"I honestly don't think he's cheating on me. But I wish he had told me. He can't just keep major stuff from me. If you really love someone, you should be able to tell them things no matter what it is."

"Interesting choice of words, Olivia. What's that saying about a pot? And a kettle? And theyre both black? Hmmmm..." He teased her playfully, both of them knowing what he was referring to.

"Hey, the pregnancy thing is totally different."

"But, honey, it's the same idea. You guys have to realize that you really can talk about anything. I don't think you give each other enough credit. Maybe the response won't always be exactly what you want, but communication is key, in any relationship. You have to be willing to go there, even when the you know it might be uncomfortable."

She laid in silence and stared at the ceiling as she took in everything Bradford had just said. She was always pleasantly surprised and impressed at the moments when he sounded so mature and thoughtful.

"I love you B.E."

"I love you more O.P."

She sweetly smiled into the phone.

"So are you going to try and get some sleep now?"

"I want to, but I can't sleep in this cabin alone. I'm too jumpy for that."

"Well, why don't you go get your man! Drag him back to bed with you."

"It's the middle of the night. He's probably asleep. Plus Jerry prob-"

"Excuses, excuses! Girl, you better throw some leggings on yourself, because I know how you like to sleep in those teeny tiny panties, throw on a jacket, take the five minute drive, and go makeup with your man! We both know he's probably in a corner rocking himself in the fetal position after that nasty argument you started."

Olivia laughed."Okay, I'm going! Thanks. Every girl needs a Bradford."

"I'll be expecting my check in the mail. Bye, Liv." She grabbed some leggings as suggested, and a heavy sweater. There were snow boots by the door she put on before she left and headed to Jerry's cabin.

She was there within minutes knocking on Jerry's door.

"Liv!" He said excitedly, and then looked down at his watch. "It's like 3 in the morning."

"Yeah, your dad isn't here?"

"He is."

"Can I talk to him?"

As she asked that question Jerry closed the front door and stepped outside to talk to her.

"Jerry, what's the problem?"

"Okay, so, my dad is here. But he's upstairs, listening to some sad depressing music, sitting by the fire. Anyway, enough about him. I _may_ have invited some girls over, that _may_ be using the hot tub."

"What?" Olivia was genuinely confused and her facial expression showed it.

"I don't even think my dad knows they're here. We're being quiet, I just don't want him to come down and ruin the party, you know what I mean?" He gave her a wink and a weak smile, hoping for her assistance in this matter.

"Jerry, are you doing drugs with them or something?"

"God, Liv! No! I don't do that mess! It's just kind of a damper if my depressed Dad comes downstairs. I'm sure that's the exact opposite of what half naked girls want to see when they're trying to enjoy themselves with a prince like me."

"Jerry. As long as nothing's illegal, I'm sure you're fine. Now, I'm freezing my ass off out here. Can I come in or what?"

"Yeah, just, can you just make sure you guys don't come downstairs until morning. And if you leave, I mean, that'd be great. But just be discreet. It's not every day I have multiple girls giving me attention. I'm trying to get as much out of tonight as I can."

"Right. Jer, I know I'm not your mom, and you're old enough to understand how this all works. But, one piece of advice: wrap it up." She patted his chest twice and let herself into the house as Jerry stood in place laughing to himself about their conversation.

Olivia walked up the stairs slowly and followed the sound of the music. It was softly playing as she looked around for Fitz. At the end of the hallway was a large open room with windows looking out to the mountains. The fireplace was flickering. As she stepped closer to the room she saw Fitz sitting on the ground, his head leaned back into the couch, his legs extended straight in front of hom as his hands tapped lightly on his thighs to the rhythm of the music. He looked up when he heard movement, only to notice it was Liv. He threw his head back, seemingly disinterested in the fact that she was there. He closed his eyes and began talking.

"Before you start, Liv, there are two things you should know. Number one: I've been drinking since I got here a few hours ago. So, if i say something out of pocket, its not necessarily my two: I don't want to argue any more tonight. This is one of my favorite places in the world, Jerry's asleep so I don't want to wake him, and honestly, I'm just too tired to yell."

Olivia kept walking towards him gingerly. She took off her boots and sat down next to him in the same position that he sat, staring at the fireplace. They gazed into the flames sitting shoulder to shoulder in silence.

She began talking in a quiet tone, just above a whisper."In response to your greeting just now, I think you should know a few things. First, Jerry isn't asleep, he's having some fun time downstairs with a few of his lady friends."

"What?" Fitz sat up as quickly as he could, considering the amount of scotch he had consumed.

Liv laughed at his disturbed look."He's fine. I think he's just excited to have girls over. He's old enough to know what he's doing. He's not 5 anymore..."

Fitz sat back in his previous position rolling his head back to the couch.

"Back to what I was saying. Second, I'm not here to argue. I'm here to tell you that I'm sorry, and I love you."

Fitz looked over at her, rolling his head to the side so he could stare into her eyes. He grabbed her hand.

"I love you too, Olivia. I swear, I'm not cheating on you. I never have and I never will."

"I know." She smiled at him softly.

"I'm serious, baby. It was a few dates, the last date was when it went a little further. And then I realized, 'I have no interest in this woman'. I was trying to distract myself from missing you. It was a terrible, terrible distraction. I should have told you, as soon as we began talking again, I should have said something. But I didn't want to make it a bigger deal than it really was. I love you so much. I don't want to give you any reason to doubt that. You are the most important person in my life. There's isn't another woman in this world that can come close to being as right for me as you are."

Fitz spoke and stared at her with the flickering red and orange hues from the fire bouncing off his grey eyes. He looked so perfect and handsome to Olivia. She positioned herself against Fitz with her arms around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder. He cuddled closely to her and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too Fitz. I'm sorry I got carried away earlier. I turned into a crazy jealous bitch, which isn't like me at all. I was just so mad that you didn't feel like you could tell me what happend. I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

Fitz laughed into her hair."You're a big girl, huh?"

"Kinda. You know you can tell me anything. I want you to understand that."

"Anything?"

"Yeah, anything."

"Okay...well then I have a confession."

Liv braced herself and tensed up slightly preparing herself for what he was going to say.

"She wasnt even good. Actually she was terrible. Like really really...just, terrible."

"Fitz...okay I don't wanna know anymore." She lightly laughed into his side squeezing him closer."But I will admit I'm a hard act to follow."

"God yes, you are." He rubbed her back deeply with his large hands.

They sat there in silence and enjoyed the warmth of being entangled with each other in front of the fire. Both of them fell asleep and ended up staying at Jerry's cabin until morning.

For the rest of the trip the family relaxed and took in the beautiful nature that surrounded them. The kids were the first to leave so they could return back to school. They made plans to visit Olivia in DC. As Liv did one last walkthrough of the cabin to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything, Fitz stood at the front door waiting to see her off.

"Liv, come on. I don't want you on the roads late tonight. You gotta get driving babe."

She walked to the front door in her favorite grey peacoat, a dark denim pair of skinny jeans, and camel colored riding boots.

"Okay okay I'm ready." She gave his lips a quick peck as she walked by him heading towards her car.

Fitz closed the door and followed behind her, quickening his pace to catch up to her. He grabbed her from behind and picked her up to twirl both of them together.

"Fitz!" She laughed loudly as he spun her around in the snow and slowly put her down for her feet to touch the ground. He leaned forward to make up for the height difference and gave her a slow passionate kiss.

"I hate saying goodbye to you." He said against her lips. His long arms snaked around her small waist.

"I know, but you're coming down in two weeks. That time will fly. Plus you have your trip back to Cali for a few days. You won't even realize your missing me." She gave him a big smile and winked causing him to smile wide.

"Oh, I'll notice. By the way, Katarina will be on the trip too. And she asked if we could share a bedroom and I said yes."

Liv snapped her head back in confusion.

"What?"

Fitz let out a hearty laugh due to her reaction. "I'm totally kidding Liv, it was a joke. Too soon?"

She smiled at him but winced her eyes in suspicion. "Uh, yeah, too soon."

They stared into one another's eyes for a minute, neither wanting to be the first to end their time together.

"I should go."

"You should go," he responded."I love you. Don't text or email while you're driving, try not to make too many phone calls. Please call me as soon as you are in your driveway. Okay?"

"Yes, Fitz. I know. I love you too. I'll see you in two weeks babe."

"Two weeks." They kissed quickly and sweetly and Liv got in her car to head home to the nations capital.


	7. Chapter 7

**Another chapter! This one is a personal favorite of mine. Not exactly sure why but I hope you like it too. Thanks so much for the reviews! They mean a lot. And I'd also like to say thanks to all the other writers that contribute to the scandal fanfic stories. I read a lot of the stories posted on this website and feel inspired to write more after each excellent chapter I uncover. But, anyways, I hope you all enjoy my latest installment. Please leave a review to let me know what you think. Happy reading!**

"This is Olivia Pope." She answered the phone while standing at her work desk, picking up the call that Quinn had just transferred.

"Miss Olivia Pope. I love how professional you sound when you answer the phone."

She immediately smiled, recognizing the voice on the other end. His rich, deep tone could quickly be felt down to her core. How did his voice alone ignite a feeling within her, she wondered. She smiled and sat slowly in her chair, crossing her limbs to try and diffuse any sensation in between her legs.

"Well, hello Doctor Grant," her seductive tone was evident.

"Mmmm hmmm...so you're feeling the same way I'm feeling right now."

"And how is that?"

"Well, quite frankly, I've been thinking about you **a lot** for the past day or so, and I've noticed most of those thoughts involve you, naked, underneath me."

Olivia was used to Fitz's alter ego when it came to intimate time between them but his blunt choice of words over the phone took her by surprise.

"Wow, Fitz. You're really..."

"Horny? If that's the word you were looking for then yes, I'm really horny. Really, really, really horny."

She laughed at his direct comment.

"Good thing you get here tonight . So within a few short hours I'm sure there are a few things I can do to help you with that." She licked her top tip slowly, ending her tongues journey with a bite to her lower lip. She couldn't wait to see him later.

"Hmmm...well, that's actually why I'm calling."

"Please tell me that you're surprising me and you're already naked in my apartment."

He laughed into the phone.

"Uhhh not exactly. I wish. Actually, I have some not so good news. There's a crazy storm here on the west coast and my flight keeps getting bumped. So I'm not exactly sure when my flight will land in DC. But it's looking like tonight is definitely _not_ in the cards."

Olivia slowly uncrossed her legs and sat up straight at her desk. She didnt want to be the nagging girlfriend but she honestly missed Fitz. She couldn't wait to be wrapped in his arms, closely feeling his breaths and listening to his heartbeat next to hers. It had only been two weeks but it felt like a lifetime.

"Okay," she tried to sound as understanding as possible. "You'll get here when you get here. One more day won't kill me...maybe. Actually it just might," her dry joke put a smile on Fitz's face even though he was dying to see her too.

"I miss you too baby. Ill get there as soon as I can. I promise. I'm sitting in my office with my luggage here, just waiting for the go ahead for my flight. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you I promise."

"It's not your fault Fitz. Don't be sorry. I'll see you whenever you get here. It's Friday night, so I'll just go to a danceclub and find some guys to distract me since you're not here." She twirled her fingers in her hair and smiled.

"Hey, go for it. But, I doubt there's anyone that can dance like me. You know the Grants are born dancers."

"Yeah, right." She chuckled.

"Listen, I'll let you finish up at the office. Text me when you're home so I know you got in okay. I'll keep you posted about my flight."

"Okay babe. Please be safe. And let me know when you've landed. I love you."

"Love you too, Liv. Talk to you later."

As the phone line went silent Olivia sat at her desk for a minute looking at the background picture on her phone that they had taken on their ski trip. She was standing next to Fitz while on top of a mountain, both in dark ski gear, sunglasses and bright smiles for the camera while holding one another. Her brown skin glowed against the snowy background and blue skies. He looked tall and handsome, his face red from the cold. She smiled at the picture, loving the fact that they were in a good place right now as a couple.

As she finished up work she headed home and took a long bath while drinking her favorite wine. She had planned on doing this with Fitz but since he wasn't able to join her she figured she'd take advantage of the down time. The house was already clean so not much needed to be done except wait. She kept herself busy by reading a new book throughout the night. Before she knew it, she was in her bed falling asleep with her phone in her hand, waiting for a phone call from her favorite guy.

It was pitch black in the room and the air was still. All that could be heard was the faint noise of the nearby highway. Olivia was under the covers enjoying a peaceful sleep when she was awoken by a loud noise.

"Ouch!" She heard from the front of the apartment.

Olivia was immediately alarmed, reaching under the side of her bed where she kept a wooden baseball bat. As she leaned over to swiftly pick it up, her bedroom door swung open and the light flashed on.

"Olivia?"

Her eyes were adjusting to the sudden change from dark to light. She was squinting and trying to become fully alert after being waken so suddenly.

"Liv?"

"Fitz?"

"Babe, why are you holding a baseball bat?"

Her eyebrows were narrowed and she was squinting. Was this a dream?

"What time is it?" Her voice still scratchy from her slumber. She cleared her throat.

"It's 4:30 am." He remained standing in her bedroom doorway.

She was still trying to assure herself that she wasn't second she realized she wasn't dreaming she dropped the bat onto the ground and flopped her head back into her pillows. She began rubbing her eyes. "Fitz, I told you to call when you landed. You almost just got a baseball bat to the head."

He laughed quietly, acknowledging that it was late and she was still in bed. He started walking over to her bed, slowly taking off his work shirt and undoing his belt.

"Can I join you? I gotta admit I haven't showered since this morning, but if I stand for one more minute I might collapse."

Liv rolled on her side and pulled the covers down for him.

"Please do," she said in a sleepy voice.

He stood beside her bed finishing taking off his clothes until he was down to his briefs. He turned off the lights and slowly slid in under the covers. Their bodies pulled together immediately like two magnets.

"Mmmm..."

"I know what you mean." He moved as close as he could to Olivia's side of the bed and put one arm under her, the other over around her waist as she faced him.

"Hi." She kissed his lips once, then his jaw, then his neck.

"Mmmmm. Hi." He began slowly rubbing her small body all over lightly kissing any part he could reach with his lips.

"I missed you so much Fitz." She spoke into his neck after giving him quick butterfly kisses.

"I missed you more," he whispered back kissing her head.

She lay wrapped up in his arms, smelling his cologne on his neck, listening to his heartbeat. She felt like after two weeks she was alive again.

"Fitz, not that it's a bad thing. But what's this about?" She reached to his face with her small hand and lightly scratched his jaw line. Even though the room was relatively dark she could tell he hadn't shaven in some time.

"Sorry. I've been stuck in the office all week with paperwork and then with the flight problems tonight...I haven't had much time or energy to shave. As soon as I get up tomorrow I'll clean up and get rid of it." He brought his hand up to rub the thick stubble on his chin.

"I think I kinda like it," she responded by rubbing her thumb on the side of his cheek.

"Yeah? Maybe I won't shave it right away then," she could see him smiling from the sliver of moonlight in her window.

"You're handsome either way." She kissed his lips sweetly.

He closed his eyes loving that he was right where he wanted to be. He was home. They dozed off quickly, both exhausted from their busy week, but feeling perfectly content now that they were together.

Fitz woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast foods and the sound of Olivia's iPod playing loudly through her Bose speaker. He looked at his watch and realized he'd slept for 8 hours straight. That was unheard of in his day to day life, but being with her always changed his sleeping patterns-for the better.

"Hey sleepy head," she turned her head and smiled at him as he slowly walked into the kitchen. His eyes were still winced shut and his hair looked like a mess of thick curly brown locks. He made his way over to her as she was pouring batter into the waffle maker. He stood directly behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his entire body into her, engulfing her as much as possible.

"You weren't in bed when I woke up. I thought you left me," he said sleepily as he talked into her hair.

She continued setting up the waffle maker and laughed lightly.

"You looked so peaceful when I woke up, I figured I would get some breakfast going so you could eat whenever you were ready." She closed the waffle maker, wiped her hands and turned around to face him. Her hands rested on the middle of his back.

"Good morning mountain man," her lips reached his for a quick kiss.

"Mountain man?" He raised an eyebrow and gave a thin smile.

"Yeah, between your crazy bed hair and your stubble you look like you belong in the mountains." One of her hands made its way to his chin as she rubbed his rough face. She loved that his facial hair had a little more red in it than the hair on his head. He leaned his mouth to kiss her finger tips. His head lowered to her neck and he kissed her sweetly in the spot he knew drove her wild. A light moan was caught in her throat as his rough face grazed the spots he had softly kissed.

"You really like that huh?" He said speaking into her neck in between kisses. Her fingers were now playing with his messy hair.

"Mmmm, yeah." Her eyes were mostly closed as she enjoyed him exploring her sensitive area.

"Why don't you pause this breakfast business and I'll rub my mountain man face wherever you want." He was now slowly licking and nipping her neck and deeply squeezing one of her ass cheeks. She could feel her legs getting weaker by the second.

"Wait." She flashed her eyes open and composed herself. Her fingers that were rubbing his hair pulled his head up so she could look into his eyes. He still looked half asleep but he had a glimmer in his eye that showed he was ready to wake up.

"Fitz, why don't we have breakfast first," he narrowed his eyebrows at this suggestion.

"Just listen to me. Breakfast first. Then, we can have all the mountain man fun in the world. Hours if you want. You know if we start having sex now we won't have enough energy to eat until dinner. And I don't know about you but I'm starving" She was trying to convince herself of the plan just as much as she was trying to convince him.

Fitz knew that what she was saying made sense.

"Well, first of all, I wanted to make love to you, then have sex, and then make love to you again. That might not take all day, just a few hours."

"I love how you differentiate making love and having sex," she said while laughing and moving her hands from his face back around his waist.

"There's a difference," he replied while making strong eye contact with her big brown eyes. His right hand that was rubbing her stomach was now going below her waistline under her panties. She leaned back a little to give him some room, her breathing becoming slowed and heavy.

"And what's that, Doctor Grant?"

"Mmmm, Doctor Grant, huh? Well," his fingers were heading lower as he slowly started rubbing her bundle of watched her begin to squirm loving that he could torture her so sweetly. A devious smile covered his face as he licked his lips and began to explain with his low voice in a steady tone.

"When we make love, it's slow...deep...hard. And when we have sex...well you know how dirty it gets baby." His pointer and middle finger were beginning their full entrance into her. Olivia gasped for air.

"Somebody feels pretty wet considering they wanna do breakfast first."

His fingers slowly slid in and out of her as they were wrapped tightly by her. Olivia's head rolled back as Fitz held her waist in place with one hand and fingered her perfectly with the other. She felt like his fingers were making love to her. Then, without warning, he pulled them out, and let go of her waist. He took his hand to his mouth and licked both fingers, wiping his wet hand with a paper towel. Olivia pulled her head forward still in a daze, breathing staggered.

"But, you already said you'd rather have breakfast before sex." He slapped the side of her thigh and walked over to the coffee maker. "Don't burn my waffle baby." He laughed while he walked away.

Liv stood against the counter looking at him and composing herself. She couldn't help but let out an airy laugh and smile at him, throwing a balled up piece of aluminum foil at his back. She turned around to take the waffle out and make the next one.

"You don't play fair Grant." He sat on a stool nearby and watched her as he drank his black coffee. He snickered to himself.

"I don't play fair? You're standing in the kitchen, making me food from scratch. You got Chaka Khan blasting on the stereo with lyrics like "tell me something good", and you look sexy as hell. I think _you_ don't play fair." He took a drink from his mug, but when Olivia looked at him she could see him raising his eyebrows in a quick, playful manner at her.

"Breakfast first." She said sternly as she turned around to look at him.

"Breakfast first," he replied. He brought his hand to to his mouth and lightly slid his tongue over the fingers he had just used on her. She shook her head and laughed at him.

They ate at the table together and talked about everything under the sun. As Fitz finished up his meal he stretched his arms and yawned.

"Babe, breakfast was amazing."

"Yeah? I'm glad you liked it. Nothin like a home cooked meal." She stood up to get his empty plate from him.

"Hey, leave that alone. Come sit with me." He grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her down in his lap, tickling her stomach and sides.

"Fitz!" She screamed into laughter. "Fitz! Stop! I just ate! Don't tickle me!" She kept laughing and wailing her petite body around on his lap. "Please!"

Immediately he stopped and squeezed her close to him so he could nuzzle her. He gave her numerous deep slow kisses on her neck. She was still sitting sideways on his lap, one hand on his arm the other tugging the back of his hair.

"Fitz," she said in a low whisper, her chest raising and lowering deeply. "Should we take this to the bedroom?" It used every ounce of strength to form a sentence when his mouth and body felt so good. Really she didnt care where they were in her house, as long as he kept kissing her and rubbing his rough chin on her.

He trailed kisses from her neck, up to her jaw ending on her plump lips. He nipped her a little sucking on her bottom lip. He bit it lightly and pulled away while still sucking it, not letting her pout go until it couldn't stretch any further. He pulled back to look her in her eyes. They stared at one another for a few seconds, admiring one another's features.

"I think we should do this right here," he said not breaking eye contact.

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah. Definitely."

Olivia got up from his lap and stood right in front of his chair. He watched her, scooting the wooden seat back to give her room to stand in front of him. She bent over facing him, and put both her hands on the elastic waist of his briefs pulling them off him slowly. He lifted his hips up off the chair to help her slide them down for him. As she held his underwear in her hands she threw them clear across the kitchen. Fitz was so turned on and his erection proved it. Next Olivia began undressing in front of him.

Fitz reached forward to pull her towards him.

"Uh-uh," she swayed her finger in front of him to let him know she was off limits for the moment. She nodded her head up quickly and stared at his hardened member.

"I'm going to take my clothes off. You just make sure Fitzgerald the Fourth is ready by the time I am."

He smirked at her and began touching himself.

"Mmmm yeah. Do that. Keep it hard. That's hot."

His hand was moving slowly up and down while firmly gripping his shaft. He was already hard just thinking about Olivia but he loved watching her take off her clothes. As Fitz was stroking slowly for her he appeared to be in a daze. His eyes were glazed as he watched his beautiful woman undress for him. Before he knew it she was completely naked and sitting on the edge of the table. She spread her legs wide and touched herself for him to see where she wanted him.

"Baby, I want to feel you. Lick me, please." Her voice sounded weak and small as she pleaded for him to give her pleasure. He stood up to move the chair as close as possible to the table. Scooting it to the edge, he lifted both her legs on his shoulders while looking up at her.

"I'm gonna lick you," he kissed her left inner thigh sweetly.

"And then you're gonna come for me," he kissed her right inner thigh.

"And then I'm gonna fuck you so good." He looked at her with a devilish grin.

"Please do," she licked her upper lip and winked at him.

As soon as she did that he put his face in between her legs and licked slowly up her slit with his tongue. He continued that motion numerous times, going in slightly deeper each time. His arms wrapped up under her thighs and he pulled her body closely to his face. Olivia's hands were flat against the table as she watched him eat her. Her full lips were open as she breathed heavily. She threw her head back as she felt herself being worshipped by his mouth.

"God Fitz." She began raising her hips slightly off the table with every lick from his tongue.

"Grind it on my face," he spoke firmly into her center, his licks still long and deep.

Olivia was speechless but her mind was going crazy. He felt so damn good, she thought. And she was even more thankful for the week old scruff on his face. It gave just the right amount of pleasure and pain. As she was licking her lips in pleasure Fitz changed the rhythm of his mouth. He kissed her moist center softly and began his assault on her sensitive bundle of nerves. Biting, licking, and flicking.

"Fuck! Fitz, baby," she snapped forward and up in a quick motion to watch him and scratch the top if his hair lightly. That only encouraged him. She could tell he was determined to make her come soon. His mouth was now doing all sorts of patterns and combinations trying to unlock her orgasm. He held onto her thighs even tighter as he fucked her with his tongue. The pleasure was too much to handle, and Liv gave into his determination to bring her to climax. She came hard, but when she threw her head back in ecstasy no sound escaped her body. An intense convulsion, but no sound. That's how Fitz knew he had done well. He gave her one last long lick that trailed all the way up until he was standing in between her legs and licking her earlobe. He began whispering in her ear as he held her face just below her jaw, firmly holding her chin with his large hand.

"I think you just came in my mouth, dirty girl." He talked in a low deep growl.

She reached for his erect member and grabbed it pulling him into her. She slowly pulled her face away so she was mere inches from his but staring into his intense grey eyes.

"Sorry," she said with a smile raising her eyebrows.

"I'm not complaining," he replied with a smirk.

She raised her hips again, but this time it was for easy entry of his long hard member.

"Fuck. Liv. Damn you're so tight baby."

Her eyes began to slowly roll as she went to close them.

"Baby, I want to watch you. Open your eyes. Let me watch you while I come."

He felt entirely engulfed by her tight, wet opening. She felt so damn good, he thought to himself. He held her securely behind her back, wrapping one arm around her. His other arm was braced as support for the both of them as his palm was flat on the table. He began rocking into her and she forced herself to keep her eyes as open as possible to stare into his. He looked so intense, angry almost, as he rocked into her over, and over, and over again.

"Fitz, I'm gonna come again. I'm so close," she wimpered.

"Me too baby. You're gonna make me come Liv." He put both his hands on her hips to stop his movements and just stared at her. He was still inside her but had a serious look on his face. Olivia put both her hands on his face,slowly scratching his rough cheeks. She looked at him and asked if he was okay through her eyes.

"You're beautiful," He said seriously.

"Fitz," she was still confused but knew he wasn't finished due to his hardness inside her.

"Come for me, Livvie." As soon as he made that statement he gave her a deep and deliberate thrust. He never slid out. He stared into her eyes and pumped into her again. Then again. And again. Each time it felt as though he reached deeper into her soul. His intense gaze alone was bringing her to the edge. All she could do was hold on as he forced their bodies together. She couldn't take any more. She felt herself tighten around him and before long an electric shock was sent throughout her entire body. Her head jolted forward as she grabbed onto him closer riding the wave of ecstasy that was being sent through her body. She screamed his name into his shoulder as her teeth grazed his skin. That was all it took for Fitz as she felt warm liquid being released from him. They remained in that position for a minute, neither one of them wanting to disconnect their bodies. Finally he slowly slid out, kissing her forehead.

"I love you Olivia. I love you so much." He held her closely to his chest still panting.

"I love you too. God. I'm exhausted Fitz," she said, still trying to regulate her breath as she rested against him.

"Let's go take a shower."

"Ha! No way Jose. I know what that means. I literally have no energy for more right now."

He picked her chin up with one hand and kissed her lips.

"Okay, well I'm gonna go take a shower. You can stay here and compose yourself. But the offer still stands if you feel like joining me." He walked away and Liv watched and admired his body as his firm ass disappeared down the hallway.

She laid her warm back against the cold surface of the table. Her body felt limp.

"This man is gonna be the death if me," she said under her breath. She couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of how hot they were for each other.

Later that day they were both relaxing on her couch using their iPads while they watched the news. More like listened to the news since both of them were focused on their idividual tablet screen.

Liv was tapping away as Fitz played around on his with one side of his headphones in. Every so often he would let out a laugh.

"What exactly are you doing Fitz?"

He looked up, not realizing that his laughs had been audible.

"Oh, just...random stuff."

"Because _that_ doesn't sound suspect," Olivia says sarcastically. She grabbed his iPad from him in one quick movement. As she looked at his screen her eyebrows narrowed.

"YouTube Fitz? Really? Are you 13?"

"Hey, there's some funny stuff on there," he said sounding playfully defensive.

"Here, I'll show you some educational information that's less likely to kill your brain cells." She exited out of the app and opened the Internet. Just as she was about to type in CNN she noticed the current screen had multiple pictures of engagement rings.

"Hey!" Fitz immediately snatched his iPad back from her as she looked shocked.

She looked at him with a blank stare, her pout slightly open.

"Fitz."

"What?" Clearly he was trying to ignore the fact that she caught him shopping for an engagement ring. He didnt look at her but continued his search for more videos on YouTube.

"Fitzgerald?" She said his name in a low nagging voice.

"Olivia?" He replied, responding in the same exact tone she used.

"Fitz!" She exclaimed playfully, starting to kick her small feet on his legs.

"Babe, you weren't supposed to see that. Cmon, can we just let it go?" His sweet request couldn't be ignored.

"Okay," she said sheepishly while smiling into her iPad.

"Okay," he replied smiling into his iPad screen.

As they casually slipped back into focusing on their tablets and listening to the news Olivia's phone rang. She looked at the screen with a look of confusion and raised it to show Fitz. As she faced the phone towards him to show who was calling her, his perplexed expression mirrored hers.

"Why the hell is Mellie calling you?"

She answered the phone putting it on speaker.

"Hey Mel. What's up?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Fellow scandal fans! Sorry it took a little longer than expected for this next chapter. How amazing was Thursdays episode though?! I was screaming at my television! But, anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm already excited about writing the next one. As always, leave a review! I love getting feedback from you guys. Happy reading!**

It was getting dark and Fitz and Olivia had just started their journey to Connecticut. They agreed to meet Mellie for a brunch meeting and decided to make a weekend of it. Fitz managed to rent a nice SUV for the drive, his secret service following in a car behind them. They both had a long week at work and were still unsure what the meeting with Mellie was about. The car was silent for the most part, both of them relaxing and listening to music from the iPod. As she looked out of her window Olivia's thoughts began to mind flashed back to a memory she had of the two of them a while back.

_It was a hot sticky evening in Alabama and they had just finished a day of campaigning. Mellie was with the kids back on the west coast which meant that Fitz and Liv had a few days of alone time. The hotel they used for lodging was full of campaign staff but most of them went out to fraternize with the locals at a nearby divebar. Fitz took advantage of this fact and got a hold of an extra key to sneak into Olivias room. Upon entry he was happy to realize that she had just stepped into the shower. He quietly made his way into the bathroom to join her. One quick love session in the shower turned into an all night event of passion._

_Hours later they were exhausted, laying together under the comforters with his head resting on her shoulder._

_"You always smell good. How do you smell so good all the time?" He grazed his nose against her skin, softly laying a kiss on the side of her breast._

_"Mmmm...I don't know. It probably helps that I shower," she joked as her fingers played in his curly hair._

_"That's one of my favorite things to do you know."_

_"You like showers?" She thought that to be a wierd statement._

_"Not just showers in general, Liv. I mean I like showers with you."_

_"Well of course you like showers with me. They usually involve the two of us screaming each others names in pleasure before the water even gets cold." She laughed lightly and began gently scratching the top center if his back._

_He shrugged."Yeah, I guess that's true. But I'd be fine with us taking showers and not having sex." His hand began making long strokes along her soft thigh under the blankets._

_"Yeah, right." She lazily replied, his soft caress sending her body into a relaxed state. She loved the way he touched her._

_"I'm serious Liv. Granted, I can't help but get turned on when you're naked in front of me with soapy warm water dripping down your body." His description caused Olivia to give an airy laugh._

_"But, if I could take a shower with you every day, no sex involved, I would. Just think about how intimate that time is. Where else can we be that close together? It's like our own little world, just me and you, down to the barest part of ourselves." He turned his head again, this time to kiss just below her breast, against her ribcage. He laid his head against her stomach._

_"It's like it's our time to just __**be**__. I don't have to think about running for President and you don't have to think about being a campaign fixer. Its just us. Me and you. Fitz an Liv...I love that. That's all I ever want with you. Forever." His nose lightly grazed her skin more as he lifted himself higher so that they could switch positions and Olivia could be wrapped in his arms._

_"Forever..." Liv responded softly. She both loved and hated when he spoke like that. Forever with Fitz would be a dream come true. But the idea of them pursuing a legitimate relationship seemed like an impossibility. She knew that he and Mellie were in a dead marriage but she couldnt help feel the guilt of sleeping with another womans husband. Forever didnt seem realistic, it WASNT realistic. But Fitz continually assured her that one day they would be together, exclusive, and devoted to only each other._

The lights and large interstate signs on the highway brought Olivia out of her memory daze.

"How ya doing over there baby girl?" Fitz said, causing Olivia to fully bring her mind back to present day. He lightly put his hand on top of hers as it rested on the center console. Their fingers intertwined gently and Liv could only smile at that sight.

"You okay? You're not falling asleep on me are you?" His eyes remained on the road but he tried to turn his head to get a look at her.

"Nope. I'm up." Her faint smile wasn't enough to convince Fitz.

"You're a terrible liar. You're falling asleep. My co-pilot is falling asleep." He teased her and gave her fingers a little extra squeeze.

"Liv, really you should rest. We still have some time before we get there. Catch a couple Z's. Seriously."

"Okay, but if you want me to drive or help keep you awake I can."

He lifted her hand to kiss her soft brown skin.

"Love you babe. I'll wake you up when we get there."

With that, Olivia allowed herself to get comfortable in her chair and relax. She knew that she wouldn't fully be able to fall asleep but she took advantage of the time to rest a little before they saw Mellie.

The iPod playing in the SUV was one of Fitz's favorite songs. He lightly hummed to the tune, lowly so that he wouldn't disturb Olivia. As she dozed off she thought about the first time she heard him hum that very song.

"_Come on Liv, you don't have to be fancy. Just throw some clothes on." He stood at her cabin doorway and hummed a Stevie Wonder song to himself._

_"Fitz, where are you taking me?" She said from the bathroom where she was finishing getting ready._

_"Don't worry about it, just come on."_

_Moments later they were on a trail on the vast property surrounding Camp David. He was holding her hand, and humming the same song that he was earlier. She was too tired to ask why he kept humming it._

_"Just c'mon Liv. Trust me, okay?"_

_"You wake me up at the crack of dawn. I've been working my ass off since the moment I arrived here at Camp David. Not to mention, despite my promise to myself, you got some yesterday. Actually a little MORE than SOME. And now you drag me out of bed and expect me to follow you, in the woods..."_

_All Fitz could do was widely smile as she trailed on and on about how much she DIDN'T want to be walking in the woods with him at that moment. Finally they reached their destination and Olivia immediately stopped walking and talking._

_"Fitz," she said almost breathless her eyes as wide as saucers._

_"C'mon." He grabbed her by the hand and led the way to the full blanket picnic he had setup at the end of the trail. It looked like the perfect setup, in the perfect part of the woods, with the perfect meal prepared waiting for them._

_He helped her get situated on the large thin sheet that lay above the grass. They both sat for a moment and stared at one another lovingly. Liv moved herself closely to Fitz and kissed his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. They sat for a moment holding one another as Fitz laid himself back on the sheet, bringing Olivia with him. The two of them laid together silently for a moment, enjoying the crisp morning air and the sounds of nature._

_"You know what today is Liv?"_

_Her faced showed that she was confused._

_"Guess not," he laughed a little, slightly nervous. His arm that was wrapped around her gave a little pull closer to him._

_"On this very day, many, many moons ago, you, Olivia Carolyn Pope, came into my life and turned it completely upside down. And I haven't recovered since." His light tone was followed by a smile as she looked up into his electric grey eyes. Her heart melted at his thoughtfulness and obvious love for her._

_"You remember? You stood in front of me on the campaign trail and basically called me a loser in front of my entire staff. Before, might I add, you even introduced yourself." He laughed at the memory._

_"I never called you a loser babe. I just called out all the BS everyone else was afraid to bring up." She smiled, still looking at him._

_"Good point. But, either way, I just wanted you to know I think about that morning every day. And Im so thankful that you're in my life, that you're a part of my life, and that you share your life with me. I'm thankful for everything you've done and continue to do for my presidency and I can't wait for the day it's just me and you." He looked at her, their eyes locked into one another, silently making a vow to each other. He let her go from his arms so that they could both lay on their sides and face each other._

_"Its gonna be kinda great actually. When we're done with all this and its just the two of us. Playing house. Eating breakfast together every day, getting the kids ready for school, pizza night, family vacations..." As he trailed on he started she listened with a small smirk on her face. She was surprised at how much thought he had put into their future, considering he was still married and still he President._

_"Whoa right there. Rewind. Who said anything about kids?"_

_"Of course we're having kids."_

_"Says who?"_

_"Says me."_

_"Oh really?"_

_"Yes, really. We're having kids. You DO want kids, right? They're gonna be the smartest cutest kids ever. I mean, I have two great looking kids already. But just think about what our little boy or girl would look like. Tell me that you don't think we'd make some perfectly chunky Grant babies. And you pregnant? With a big ol' belly? And we both know THIS would get nice and big too." He reached around and gave one of her butt cheeks a good firm squeeze causing her to squeal._

_"That's definitely in the cards for us." He winked at her and gave his famous Grant smile while softly kneading her backside, both if them still on their sides propped up by their arms._

_"Really Fitz? You want to get me pregnant so that you can enjoy my ass?" she poked him playfully causing him to flinch a little and laugh._

_"I already enjoy it. I think I'll get to enjoy it MORE while you're pregnant." His eyebrows raised quickly as he let his hand linger on her body._

_"Hmmmm...I dont know...I guess I just always figured that if we were still together after your presidency that you wouldn't want kids. You're not exactly a spring chicken Fitz. And who says you'd want to raise kids again. It's alot of work you know..."_

_"First of all Liv, and I'm not really sure why you would say this, but I have every intention of being with you well after my presidency. Second, the spring chicken thing. Really Liv? After yesterday, one would think that you would understand how much __**spring**__ I got goin on."_

_"You're so cocky."_

_"Mmmm, you like it."_

_"Kinda." She winked and smiled at him sending an undeniable current through his body._

_They continued their conversation that morning enjoying the beautiful picnic that Fitz had organized. It was a perfect way to celebrate the day they met, falling in love at first sight._

The next thing Olivia knew they were in the house in Connecticut that Fitz rented for a few days and getting ready for bed. They both fell asleep quickly, tired from the drive. The morning came quickly and they both got ready for brunch. As they arrived at the small restaurant they noticed that Mellie had arranged for a private dining area. They made themselves comfortable and checked emails as they waited. Mellie was late and Fitz refused to sit there hungry so they began eating.

"Liv! Fitz!" Mellie walked in the empty dining room of the restaurant in a fitted gray dress and black heels. Her hair was up and she seemed genuinely happy to see them. They stood up to greet one another. Fitz gave her a handshake, which Olivia saw as unnecessary but she didnt address it. She gave Mellie a hug and they all sat down to talk.

"So, Liv, lets cut right to it. I'm running for the state senate in Connecticut and I need your help."

"Wow! Mellie. That's amazing. Senator, huh?"

"Yup! I've had enough of my hands in politics in the past and I want to use my knowledge for a bigger purpose."

"That's great Mel. I'm happy for you. But why do you think you need me?"

"Well I need you as more of an advisor to me. I just want a go to person that can help within our decisions. You wouldn't have to travel, I just wanted to know if I can count you in as someone I can call, someone I can refer my campaign manager to. You're the best in the business, I can't go wrong if you're on board, even if just a little bit."

"Well, Mellie, thank you for the compliment. I will strongly consider it and get back to you about my decision."

"Great, that's all I ask. So brunch? This is nice right? The three of us together talking politics, breaking bread."

Fitz didn't look amused by her small talk.

"How've you been Fitzgerald? The kids told me about the ski trip."

"I've been great. Olivia and I are doing really well. She keeps putting up with me at least," he smiled at Liv and she returned the expression.

"Well isn't that adorable," Mellie said dryly.

"Really, I should go you guys. I'm running late for another meeting. And Katie has a doctors appointment later today we can't miss. Oh, I gotta show you this picture before I leave." Mellie pulled out her phone and pulled up a picture of her 1 year old being held by her husband.

"Oh, wow Mel. She's adorable." Olivia said.

"Yeah, cute pic Mel," Fitz didn't sound as enthusiastic but he was trying to not be completely rude.

"Thanks you two. She's just the cutest thing. I know all mommys say that but she really is. She reminds me of Karen when she was a baby. George and I are just too in love with her. Oh, and George also said to say hi. Of course my husband couldn't make if because he's meeting the contractors for the new house we're having built. Its on a brand new gorgeous property we kind of stumbled upon. We're just too busy for words. But anyways, Ill be hearing from you Liv. Thanks again." And with that, she was gone.

"Wow! I feel like we just got hit by the Mellie truck."

"Yeah, something like that." Fitz sat there seemingly disinterested and began pouring himself another mimosa.

Back at the house that evening they both decided to catch up on work. They were in two seperate parts of the house but Liv was getting hungry so she made her way to the living room where Fitz had mountains of paperwork surrounding him as he sat on the couch.

"Babe, what's up with dinner? You want anything in particular?"

"No." He wasn't fazed by his question, not looking up from his noticed his distant demeanor.

"Okay, Ill order takeout from the Italian place we drove by today. Do you want pasta or pizza? Or I can pull up the menu online?"

"Whatever Liv." His curt response and lack of eye contact was confusing to her.

"Fitz."

"What." He still didnt look up.

"Fitz..." She stood across the room from him waiting for him to give her a more specific decision. He raised his face and looked at her angrily.

"What Liv? What the hell is the problem? It doesnt matter what we 't order anything for all I care."

If Olivia was in another frame of mind she would have yelled right back. But she knew that seeing Mellie earlier was taking a toll on him. So, she reminded herself of that before she responded to his rude tone. She walked over to where he was sitting doing his work and sat on the couch to face him. She reached out to touch his hand and could feel his entire body relax once they connected. His face dropped and he looked at her, his eyes gray and sad.

"I should kick your ass right now for yelling at me like that," she said in a warm voice but it was followed by an equally warm smile.

"Yeah, I know. You should. I'm a jerk. I...I just have a lot on my mind. Sorry Liv. We can order pasta, that's fine." He shrugged and leaned back pinching the bridge of his nose and releasing a sigh.

"You know, Fitzgerald, you can tell me when you're in a bad mood or want to be left alone. My feelings won't be hurt."

"I don't want alone time Liv," he looked at her assuredly.

"Okay, just letting you know, I can handle it." Her hand reached up to touch the side of his face. They both looked at each other and gave a thin smile.

"Mellie really got to me today Liv. I don't know how she does it. But she really got to me."

"How? She talked about the senate race and that was pretty much it."

"Yeah, but it was everything. She pranced in there like some sweet innocent ex-wife. She made my life hell for years. I finally break all ties with her except for our kids. And then, she has the nerve to call you, of all people, for help. I mean, you're the best at what you do, but why the hell does she think that we want to be a part of her life right now. She doesn't deserve your help Olivia."

"Fitz, if you don't want me to do it, I won't. Not if it's gonna effect our life together. That's not even close to being worth it to me."

"Babe, you're a professional. I know you'll be great. I know you can seperate the two parts of your life. It was just today, seeing her reminded me of everything that went wrong in the past. I guess it just pissed me off a little. I don't know...and you know what else? Why was she talking about how AMAZING her life is right now? Quite frankly I wanted to throw up. Her perfect little daughter and her perfect little husband and their perfect little house in Connecticut. I mean, gimme a break." He was on a tangent now and rolling his eyes, but his voice was still low and controlled. Olivia sat and listened, accepting that Fitz just needed a sounding board.

"Like, really Liv, we could've sat there and talked about how great things are going, but we didnt. We kept it professional. She's everything but that. Why does SHE get to have all of that? WE should be the ones talking about our amazing honeymoon. WE should be the ones talking about the new renovations on our beautiful house. WE should be the ones talking about how our toddler is the perfect kid. Not Mellie."

They both realized what Fitz had just said about having a child of their own by now. The air became noticeably tense.

"I'm sorry Liv. I didn't mean to bring up the baby thing. I got caught up on my rant." He reached out to hold her hand. Their eyes met.

"It's okay Fitz. It's okay that you feel that way."

They sat in silence for a few seconds, both of them looking at their hands together.

"Do you ever think about it Liv? The fact that we made a baby together? We almost raised a child together." His voice was sad as his eyes remained lowered and he looked down at their hands intertwined.

"Yeah, I think about it," she replied softly.

"I think about it too. Our pregnancy. I think about it a lot actually," he admitted.

She looked at him, not making eye contact. Her heart ached at his confession.

"I think about what the baby would have looked like and you giving birth. I know you would've been a champ through labor. I think about what colors we would've painted the baby room. Random stuff...I wonder what kinda cravings you would've had. How would you have looked 8 months pregnant? You think you would have gotten fat?" He lightly laughed, the sadness present in his voice. She wanted to respond back playfully but her mind was being filled with the same visions of what could have been. Her large brown eyes were beginning to well with tears.

"I've cried a couple times. I'm...I'm sad that you went through that alone, Liv, without me there to be strong for you. I'm sad that we weren't given the chance to raise our first child together. You know she would have been almost two by now? God, could you imagine," his voice cracked,"I would love to be sitting here with you and our two year old daughter, Liv."

"Fitz." Tears were quietly streaming down his face as she leaned over to touch his cheek with her small hand.

He kissed her palm.

"The only reason that I dont feel completely broken is the fact that I have you Olivia. That's the only reason." His face was full of angst as he looked her in her eyes. His jaw was tight and eyes full of sorrow.

"I love you." She lightly kissed each stream of sadness running from his eyes.

"We're gonna make more babies Liv. I promise you," He whispered.

"I know Fitz. I know we are." She forced a smile, wanting to rid him of any pain he was feeling.

They sat in the living room for a while, talking more about how to handle the Mellie situation. They agreed on a few boundaries that they would keep so that their relationship wouldn't be affected in the process. The conversation went well, and they retired early to bed, exhausted from the days events.

The next day they drove back to Fitz's condo in New York City. Olivia had to head back to DC but they wanted a little more time with each other so they played card games and talked to kill time.

"I think we need a vacation babe." Fitz said blankly as he threw his card down and smiled as he won that round.

"You got lucky with that hand . And vacation? We just went skiing not that long ago."

"Yeah I know but that was with the kids, and half the people I know were there that weekend. I mean a real vacation. Just me and you, somewhere that has palm trees and beaches. You in a skimpy bikini, me in a leopard speedo," he raised his eyebrows playfully and Olivia burst into laughter.

"Honey, you are one of the sexiest men on this earth. But I don't think a leopard speedo would work for you." Her laughter was sporadic and uncontrolled as she envisioned him at the beach wearing one.

"No? You're probably right. There's no way Fitzgerald the Fourth could squeeze into that anyway." He winked at her.

"You're too much. Well, I don't think I can do an entire week way anytime soon, but I could work out a four day trip."

"Yeah? That's perfect! Ill organize everything and get you the dates as soon as I figure it out. God, I'm so glad you're okay with this. I'm in dire need of some quiet time with my love."

"Of course I'm okay with it babe," she smiled at him.

"But where are you thinking Fitz?"

"Don't worry about it. I told you ill organize everything. Just know that you should pack lightly. A few bikinis and some lingerie."

"Really Fitz. We don't have to fly to an exotic island for you to see me naked."

"Mmmm, I know." He moved closer to her and began kissing her neck and jaw as they were still sitting on the floor.

"Don't start Fitz. We don't have time for it. I should've already left. If we start we won't stop." Her eyes were shut as she enjoyed the softness of his lips on her neck.

"Okay, but just so you know, on our trip, it's gonna be a whole lot of  
starting and not a lot of stopping going on." He kissed her lips deeply in one motion. She was putty against his body.

"A lot of starting and no stopping? I can handle that."


	9. Chapter 9

**Time for a Fitz and Liv vacation. This is a fun chapter for them. Side note: Two more days until we get a new episode of Scandal. Can't wait! In the meantime hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy reading!**

Fitz reached out to the seat next to him to grab Olivia's hand.

"You excited?" He asked with a beaming smile.

"I guess, you haven't told me anything yet. All I know is I'm on a very expensive private jet and we've been in the air for a few hours."

"We'll be there shortly. I picked the destination with one of the quickest flights since I know you get antsy when you're not in control."

She gave him a look from the side of her eye and smiled. She knew he was right but wouldn't admit it.

As they landed Olivia looked out of the window and noticed palm trees everywhere. She was taken aback at how much water she saw no matter where she looked. Electric blue ocean, sparkling under the bright midday sunshine.

"Welcome to Saint Bart's, folks," the pilot said over the intercom after they landed.

She snapped her head and gave Fitz a big smile as they met eyes.

"I remember you said a few years back that you've never been to St. Bart's, which is a crime in itself."

She looked at him in disbelief with her mouth slightly open.

"How did you remember that? I know that conversation had to be almost three years ago."

"I remember everything you say baby," he leaned over the chair to give her a quick kiss.

"That's so sweet Fitz. You know I'm going to use that against you next time you forget to do what I tell you," she teased back and winked.

"I'm sure. C'mon Liv," he stood up in the jet and put his hand out for her to grab it. He led the way off the plane and down the short steps to where their private car was waiting for them.

"Hang tight for a sec. I'm gonna help grab our luggage."

She stood in her long black maxi dress and wedges and watched him help get the luggage. It was incredibly hot outside but the tropical breeze felt nice. She loved watching Fitz use his strong stature to carry all of the bags. By the time he helped Tom load the car he had sweat along his brown and his forearms were glistening. They jumped in the car and let the driver lead the way.

"Okay, so I rented one of the most beautiful properties on the island for a few days. It's not far from here but we should head straight there to get situated and change."

"Your wish is my command. You said we're changing?"

"Yup, I hired a special chef for a romantic meal on the beach at sundown."

"Wow!" Olivia's surprised expression put a beaming smile on Fitz's face.

"Sound good?" He wanted to hear it with his own ears.

"Fitz, that sounds amazing."

As they held hands and enjoyed the scenery along the drive to the house, they couldn't help but point out the neat places they were passing. They agreed to explore the island a little before they left. Finally they arrived at the house.

It was beautiful. A large white house surrounded by lush greenery. There were large rooms with equally as large windows to make the house feel more open. The property it sat on seemed to go for miles. Right behind the house was the beautiful ocean. From their back door they were within walking distance to the shore. As Olivia began exploring the house Fitz began unpacking, and hooked his iPod to the full house speaker system. The music and ambiance was quickly putting Olivia into vacation mode. Fitz came out from the bedroom and found her at the back window starting ar the beautiful bluegreen ocean. One of her favorite songs by Maxwell, called Silently, began playing on the speaker system. He stood right in front of her.

"In case I forgot to tell you today, I love you." She reached up around his neck to pull his face closer to hers. She gave him a deep kiss and proceeded to trail sweet kisses on his neck, lightly nipping his skin with her teeth.

"Mmmm, you told me plenty of times today Liv. But its always nice hear. I love you too." Fitz held her waist, barely able to speak as she toyed with the flesh near his pulse point.

She continued kissing him slowly, getting more aroused at the fact that he was letting her torture him sweetly. She began undoing his belt, never taking her lips away from his skin.

"Liv." Fitz mumbled trying to compose himself. She ignored him and started unbuttoning his khaki pants and undoing the zipper slowly.

"Livvie. Baby," he wanted to get her attention but could barely speak. He loved when she took charge of intimate moments this way.

The next thing he knew, his pants were loosely hanging on his waist and Olivia was about to slip her hand under his briefs to touch his warm flesh.

"Wait, ." He grabbed both of her small hands with one of his large hands. She immediately stopped and looked him dead in his eyes her chest raising and lowering slowly.

"Wats wrong?" Liv was confused as to why Fitz didn't want to continue.

"Babe, I'm so sorry. But we really can't do this right now. We have that chef waiting for us."

"Fitz..." She started rubbing his stomach leaving lingering trails by her nails along his abdomen. Her eyes were losing focus as she was fighting the temptation to completely ignore his request."You expect me to stop right now? Really?"

"I know baby. But I flew him in just for today. We're supposed to already be on our way. Trust me, it's killing me right now that we have to put this on pause until later. You're all fired up. I can tell you're feeling extra freaky right now too," he gave her a devilish look as his hand reached lower to grab her butt cheek.

"Mmmm you have no idea. But its your fault. You were all sweaty, carrying that luggage all by yourself from the plane, looking all big and strong," she winked at him and licked her full lips.

"You like that, huh Liv," he started to blush at how much she was turning him on.

"Im pretty sure we have time for a quickie, Fitz." Her hands were now rubbing under his tshirt at the small of his back.

"A quickie...ha! No such thing with you my love," he smiled at her and she pouted.

"You're no fun," she pulled away from him and stood with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Woman, you are killing me," his laugh was followed by him stepping closer to her, and reaching out to rub the sides of her arms.

"Listen, Liv. I promise after we eat, we are coming straight back here and I'm gonna show you exactly how much fun I am. In the meantime I'm gonna go take a quick shower. Don't even think about coming in that bathroom until I'm dressed," he gave her a knowing look.

"Who, me?" She said innocently.

"Yeah, I know you like to get your way at any cost. As a matter of fact, I'm locking the door," he teased her.

"Please...you're not even all that Grant," she rolled her eyes as she joked with him.

"I love you too babe," he gave her a quick kiss and left the room as she watched him walk out.

They both got ready in seperate bathrooms and met at the front door when they were ready. Olivia wore a long flowing floral dress and paired it with flat gladiator sandals. Fitz wore a pair of blue and white searsucker pants and a light blue vneck tshirt. They complimented one another on their outfits and began to head out for dinner.

The area that Fitz had setup in advance was within walking distance of their vacation house. A nice walk down a path of the beach lead them to their dinner table where the chef was promptly setting the first course. She loved the idea of dinner on the beach, by candlelight.

"This food is so amazing Fitz. You get brownie points for this little date you set-up." Olivia sat in front of her empty dessert plate fully stuffed.

"Oh yeah? Brownie points huh? Well I'm glad you enjoyed it. Only the best for my baby girl," he smiled at her and reached across the table to hold her hand. He started caressing it softly. Her brown skin looked almost golden against the candlelight. They sat for a moment in silence, listening to the waves crash from the ocean shoreline nearby. Their eyes gazed into one another's, soaking in their moment of bliss.

"Hi," she smiled at him locking their eyes together.

"Hi," his grey eyes looked alert and intense as the surrounding lights flickered.

"So where to next?"

"It's up to you. We can try and find something to get into, or we can head back to the house."

"Hmmm...lets just head back to the house."

"Sounds good to me."

He stood up and grabbed her hand to help her up from the table. She followed him as he lead the way back to their humble abode for the next few days. They were walking along the beach side by side when Liv stopped dead in her tracks.

"I think I wanna go swimming."

Fitz stopped and looked at her with a strange face.

"That's kinda random. But totally possible. We have a pool, we can swim there. That means I get to admire one of your bikinis tonight."

"I was thinking more like swimming there." She pointed to the ocean.

"You want to swim in that water right now? It's dark out, Im pretty sure thats against the law. What if there are sharks, or you drown?"

She started taking off her sandals and putting her hair up in a high bun while talking.

"I would hope that if I started to drown you would save me Fitz."

"Well, yeah."

"And as for the sharks, I don't think we have to worry about that, but" she undid her halter dress and it fell down exposing her naked body,"if I'm gonna die, that's probably as exciting as it gets."

Fitz stood in front of her completely forgetting his train of thought as she stood naked in front of him. His eyes were glued on her breasts and peaked nipples. He licked his lips and raised his eyes to hers.

"You're gonna get us arrested," he said as he began unbuttoning his shirts and taking off his clothes rapidly.

As soon as he was down to his briefs he picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and ran towards the water. She squealed and laughed as he gently brought her body down so her legs were wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck. They were face to face as he walked into the water slowly kissing each others lips. He held onto her as he walked deeper and deeper into the dark ocean until they were able to float, their bodies gripped onto one another.

As they floated around in the darkness of the sea the moon bounced off giving them the perfect amount of white light. Their bodies were entirely under water from their neck down but that didnt stop them from enjoying one another.

Olivia began kissing Fitz's lips, tugging as his wet hair at the nape of his neck. She moved her mouth to his neck where she bit him hard and sucked his flesh.

"Mmm, God that feels good. Someone is feeling rough tonight." She continued biting him.

"Am I too rough Fitz?" She whispered in his ear trailing a long deep scratch along the top of his back.

"No such thing," he whispered back.

She leaned back to look at him as their faces aligned. Her large doe eyes and high cheekbones looked magical under the moonlight. One of her hands moved from the back of his head to his front hairline. She traced the outline of his face with her wet fingertips.

"I can't imagine being anywhere else with anyone else right now Fitz."

"Me too." He gave her a sweet kiss on her lips as they continued to float in the water.

"Are you cold Fitz? You have goose bumps," her hands slowly rubbed his shoulders

"The water isn't exactly warm. Plus I have a sexy naked woman pressing her hard nipples against my chest. So yeah, I have some goosebumps," he teased her.

"Makes sense. I can't help it about the hard nipples. Where else am I supposed to put them?" She tilted her head in a questioning manner.

"My mouth?" He raised one eyebrow and cocked his head to the side giving her a charming smile.

"They're all yours," she bit her bottom lip and smiled.

Fitz pulled her closer to him so he could trail kisses from her neck to her chest, down her sternum and ending on her left breast. He kissed lightly, nipping slightly. His hand raised higher to grab her breast firmly. In one movement he dipped his head low enough to engulf her entire nipple and most of her breast in his mouth, tugging at it and lingering his tongue over the firm bud. He squeezed it as his mouth went to work.

"Fitz..." She said his name in an airy voice, fully enjoying his mouths exploration of her body. Her hands were behind his head, pulling him closer to her.

He released her from his mouth only to make his way over to her other nipple. He began torturing that one in the same way.

"Fitz..." She whispered. He continued sucking and licking her breast.

"Fitz...I need you. Right now."

He lifted his head up to look at her and make sure he heard her correctly. When he looked into her eyes and she nodded her head he knew what she was asking for.

He was already aroused but having her looking in his eyes as she breathed heavily made him even harder. He reached down to pull himself out of his briefs. He slightly lifted her hips up, and slowly slid her body down until he was filling her completely. Olivia let out a gasp as he tried to compose himself to not finish prematurely. They both floated in the water connected, their chests rising and falling from the excitement.

"You okay Liv?"

She kissed his lips deeply."I'm okay."

"Come for me Livvie."

With that she began slowly grinding on him, causing Fitz to let out low grunts of pleasure.

"You ride me...So good baby," were the only words he could manage to say. She kissed him and trailed her tongue across his bottom lip. She began whispering against his mouth.

"Touch me Fitz. Make me come."

He lowered his right hand to begin massaging her clit with his thumb. He rubbed it deep and slow, matching the rhythm of her grinding hips. Her neck rolled back as she began moaning.

"That's right baby, come for me," he said in her ear in a deep growl.

The water was beginning to splash slightly as their bodies rocked back and forth into each other. His thumb was slowly causing her to unravel. She tensed herself around him and he knew she was close. Her moans were getting louder.

"Shhhhh baby. Not too loud," he was worried that one of the other vacation homes would hear the noises from the water and alert someone.

Olivia lifted her head forward to look at Fitz in his eyes as she continued riding him. Her hands holding on around his neck.

"You feel so good to me," she said as her voice was faint and almost whining in between her light shrieks of pleasure.

"God Liv, I know. I love for me Livvie. Come right now for me."

With that command he lifted the hand he was holding her waist with and pulled her face into his so he could shove his tongue aggressively into her mouth. Their lips and tongues began to battle one another roughly, biting each other in the process. The way he was pushing and tugging on her hair was driving her wild and eventually sent her over the edge. His thumb was moving rapidly to her finish. As he felt her tighten around him, he grabbed her head and held her open mouth to his as she moaned in ecstasy at her climax. Olivias contractions against his hard flesh inside her pushed him to the brink as he came. They both continued to ride out the orgasm until they got their fill. Moments later they both were still floating in the dark water, breathing heavily, holding one another tightly.

"Wow. That was a first," he said in between catching his breath and kissing her soft skin slowly and lightly.

"Mmmm, that was perfect. You are one sexy man, Grant," she smiled widely and kissed his nose resting her forehead against his.

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself Ms. Pope," he said. "We should probably get out though," he was already making his way through the water back to the shore with her legs still wrapped around him.

"Yeah, before the sharks get us," her teasing make him laugh a little.

"Well the way you were moaning you probably scared them away," he held her hand as they got out of the water slowly and picked up their clothes. He handed her his undershirt to throw on as they walked up to the back of the house.

As they settled in they each took showers and got into their pajamas. Olivia walked into the bedroom and Fitz immediately noticed her bedroom attire. She was wearing an old Grant for President tshirt from their days on the campaign, and a pair of simple lace underwear.

They had started taking the throw pillows off the mattress to get in bed.

"Guess no lingerie," He said under his breath sarcastically.

"What?" Olivia stopped with a pillow still in her hand.

"What?" Fitz continued clearing the bed trying to ignore the comment he just made.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing, I was just-"

"I heard what you said," she picked up a pillow and threw it at him as she smiled widely.

"Ow! Hey! Don't start something you can't finish!" He said with a large smile on his face. He picked up the nearest pillow and threw it at her hard. Olivia had a crazed playful look on her face.

They began an all out pillow fight. After they ran out of small pillows to throw they each grabbed a bigger one, and began swinging at each other relentlessly. Their laughs and shrieks were filling the entire house. Fitz jumped on the bed and Liv followed his lead as they continued playing together. Finally he threw his pillow down and pushed Olivia over so that she fell on her back in the center of the mattress. She lay below him laughing hysterically and uncontrollably from the pillow fight. He dropped to his knees on the bed, and situated himself so that he was laying directly on top of her as they both were still giggling. His entire body weight was on her and she reached up to touch his face with her hands, her smiling widely. He smiled back as they began to regulate their breathing from the playtime they just had. They laid there on top of the comforters just looking at one another.

"I'm in love with you, Olivia Carolyn Pope."

"I love you too, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third...Why is your name so long?" She playfully asked.

"Long story," he smiled at her and slowly proceeded. "But I want to make sure you understand what I'm saying right now. I need you to hear me," he paused to make sure he had her full undivided attention.

"I'm IN love with you. There's no other person in this world that's as amazing as you. You make everything right in my life. I know I can be a pain in the ass, and I know I don't always say or do the right thing, but one thing is sure. I can't live without you by my side. I hope that one day, when we're old and can't have fun little pillow fights or spontaneous hot sex on the beach, that you know that my love for you goes deeper than any true words can express. I'm completely, entirely, and utterly in love with you Olivia. Forever."

"Wow Fitz, that's..." She became speechless.

"I just want you to know that. Okay?" He was still on top of her and looked straight at her as she looked up at him. Both of them entranced by one another's eyes.

"Okay," she whispered. "But just so you know, I love you too." She paused to put her hand on the side of his face. "I'm in love with you too. Forever."

"Forever."

He leaned down to give her a light peck on her lips. As he rolled off of her to get situated for bed Olivia reached to turn the lights off. Their bodies met in the middle of the mattress, Fitz spooning her from behind. They quickly dozed off, enjoying their first night alone together on their magically exotic vacation.

As Olivia slowly came out of her slumber the next morning she noticed the sun was just rising, filling the bedroom with hues of red and orange. She was laying on her stomach, with her arms tucked under the pillow that her head was resting on. She turned her head to her left side without moving her body, only to find Fitz in the same position, staring at her. She cleared her throat as she became more alert to focus on his face.

"Fitz," she whispered in a groggy tone, her eyes still adjusting to waking up.

"Hi," he said in a clear deep voice. Obviously he had been up for a while and staring at her as she was sleeping. His eyes were attentive, and their warm grey color seemed brighter than usual.

"Why are you staring at me," she said in a low tone, "it's kinda creepy."

He smiled at her warmly.

"Good morning beautiful girl."

He shifted his body towards her to kiss her perfectly soft full pout.

She pulled her face back before he could reach her lips. "Morning breath."

"I don't care about that right now. Gimme a kiss."

He got close to her face and gave her a sweet kiss. She took that moment to remove her arms from under her pillow and slide her body close to his so she could face him while laying on her right side. She loved how their bodies matched one another in this they were in bed together, if she tucked her knees towards her chest, she fit perfectly in his body. Right under his chin and above his knees.

"How long have you been up?"

"Not really sure. A little bit I guess," he lowered his face to kiss her on her head.

She reached around while still under the covers to find his arm so they could hold hands. Just as their fingers began playing with one another, she felt something strange. Her face shifted and her eyes widened. She sat up quickly and pulled her hand out from under the blankets. As she looked down at her left ring finger she stared in shock.

"Oh my god," she couldn't take her eyes off of her hand as she stared at the beautiful diamond on her finger. Fitz got up out from under the blankets as he watched her sit in shock. He placed himself in front of her on top of the mattress and got on one knee.

"Liv," he tried to get her attention gently.

She was still in a dead gaze as she looked down at her hand.

"Hey, Liv," he whispered sheepishly.

She broke her stare from the ring and looked confusingly at Fitz who she hadn't even realized was on one knee right in front of her. Her face became long as her eyes started to slowly fill with tears. He caringly lifted her hands into his as he looked into her large brown eyes.

"I hope those are happy tears," he joked nervously letting out a quick exhalation.

All she could do was nod her head "yes".

"Okay. So I wasn't sure how to do this. I kept thinking I would make it extravagant. Something that would be a big story we'd tell every year af Christmas to our kids, and our grandkids. Something wild. Like set off a great fireworks display, put it on an airplane banner, ask at a sporting event in front of thousands. Something that would just blow all other proposals outta the water," he held her hands tightly, never breaking eye contact.

"But the more I thought about it, the more I realized, that's not us. That's not how we are as a couple. We're not big and showy and extravagant. We're private. At the end of the day, it's just me and you. Nothing fancy. Just two people, madly in love with each other, wanting to spend every waking minute in each others arms. So I kneel before you today, in my messy bed hair, morning breath and all, and ask you one of the most important questions of my life. Olivia Carolyn Pope, will do please do me the honor and spend the rest of your life with me as my wife?"

She sat in front of him staring in his eyes with her mouth barely open. Tears were freely flowing from her eyes as she was listening to him.

"Fitz, I don't know what to say. I...I"

"I'm kind of hoping for a yes but you can say anything. Anything will suffice," his face was clearly anxious and he wasn't blinking as he waited for her response.

"Of course Fitz. ! A million times yes! I love you so much," she got herself on her knees and put both her hands up to hold his face as she kissed him once deeply. She proceeded to plant quick kisses all over his face and neck, making him laugh in relief. He held her closely as they hugged on top of the bed. He leaned back to grab her hand and look at her finger with the ring. Her beautiful brown skin was the perfect backdrop for the dazzling new jewelry. She stared at his face with a smile from ear to ear.

"I'm so glad you said yes heart was racing!" He looked up at her to touch her cheek. They were both beaming with excitement.

"Racing? You thought I'd say no? Are you crazy?"

"I don't know, I just had a million scenarios running through my mind. What if she says no? What if she hates the ring? What if she doesn't like the proposal? My mind was going crazy last night, that's why I woke up so early. Well that, and I also had to get that ring on your finger without waking you up."

She kept smiling at him showing all her teeth and a glimmer in her large brown eyes.

"Fitz, it's perfect. Everything. The proposal, the ring, you. Just, perfect. I love you." She leaned towards him for a passionate kiss.

"I love you too Olivia."

He hopped up so he was standing on the bed and started jumping like a big kid.

"We're getting married!" He was ecstatic. She'd never seen him this excited.

It made Olivia laugh as she fell back into her pillows watching him stand tall above her. She started playing with the new jewelry on her finger as she admired the ring.

Fitz hopped off the bed and whisked over to where his iPhone was.

"I gotta get this on camera. The moment that Olivia Pope said "yes"."

She laughed.

"You are absolutely _not_ taking a picture of me right now. I look terrible. Im wearing an old tshirt, my hair is up in a mess, I haven't even washed my face yet today..."

"Oh c'mon. This is one of the best moments of my life and I can't take a pic?" He was so excited, Olivia wanted to oblige but she also knew that the picture would probably be shown to hundreds of people by the time it was all said and done.

"How about a quick video, but you have to promise to never show anyone, especially because I don't have a bra on."

"Deal!"

He situated himself on the bed right next to Olivia and held the phone in front of them as he began recording with both of them side by side in the screen. His brown curly locks looked soft and disheveled, her hair was up in a messy bun. He threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in tightly to fit in the camera. He held it in front of them with one hand and began recording.

"Okay, so today is an amazing day already, even though its only... 6:47 in the morning. Because this woman, who I happened to pick up last night at some random bar..." he looked at her with his devilish grin.

"Very funny!" She turned to look at him and poked his cheek.

"But seriously, we're getting married! I'm the luckiest guy in the world! Say hi to the camera, future wifey." He shifted his body and the camera so that now he was taking footage of only her.

"Hi, camera!" She waved eagerly with both hands and smiled widely.

"Do you have a few words? Anything?" He asked as he playfully interviewed her from behind the scenes.

"Hmmmm..." She looked up to the ceiling as though she was thinking deeply about a good response,"nope!" Her smile warmed his heart.

"Liv! You gotta say something. You just got engaged for Pete's sake! Don't get quiet on me now, woman!" His handsome grin was evident from behind his phone as he looked at her through the screen.

"Okay okay. Here's what I have to say: I love my ring," she lifted her hand to show the diamond. "I love this man," she pointed toward the phone as Fitz turned the camera to show his face before putting it back on Liv. "And I can't wait to marry the most amazing guy in the world. This is the best day, ever. I'm too happy for words." She gave a wide smile to the camera as she finished talking and Fitz smiled back. He placed the phone down.

"You're amazing Olivia."

"You too, babe."

He reached out and pulled her towards him, as they kissed passionately he leaned back.

"Let's go jump in the shower."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I wanna give it to you good our first time as an engaged couple," his playful smirk made her laugh.

"Mmmm, you're so dirty. But I could actually go for that right now." They both got off the bed and Olivia picked up his phone from the comforters to place it on the dresser.

"Fitz!"

"What?"

"You never stopped recording."

"You sure?"

She pressed the button ending the video on the screen, making the sound that proved she was right.

"Oh shit! You're sure!" He made an embarrassed face and shrugged his shoulders.

"Now you REALLY can't show that video to anyone."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." He grabbed her hand and led the way to their shower.

That day they spent relaxing by the pool. They didnt speak much, mostly slept and swam. Admiring one another in silence. The only reason they left the poolside was to get food from the house for a short bit. That night Fitz was watching Olivia as she prepared a simple dinner for them in the kitchen.

"So, we're engaged Olivia," he said as he popped a handful of leftover popcorn in his mouth.

"Yeah, I noticed that. Strange how that happens,huh." She winked at him and smiled as she was cutting vegetables for their salad.

"Yeah, strange." He played along with her.

He continued to watch her move about the kitchen to complete their meal. She opened the fridge but paused to turn around and look at him.

"You want to know if I've picked a date, don't you."

"You know me too well. That's why I keep you around kid."

She stopped what she was doing and wiped her hands so they could talk for a minute. Their eyes met as she began talking.

"I really don't know Fitz. I have no idea where to start. You know I'm not really the wedding kind of girl. It's not like I've been picking out dresses and centerpieces since I was a teenager. That just wasn't my thing."

"I'm sure you were too busy being a brainiac," he teased.

"I would take offense to that, but I won't." She tilted her head and gave him a blank stare.

"Hey, I love that I'm marrying a genius. Plus you're hot, so the smart thing is like and extra bonus." They smiled at one another.

"Why thank you, Doctor Grant. But really, I figured that I'd think about dates and everything when I get back and after I tell everyone."

"Yeah, I noticed that you haven't called anyone...now that's strange."

"You think? You haven't called anyone..." Her observation made him shrug his shoulders.

"Anyone I would want to know already knows. I told the kids as soon as I started shopping for rings. I called Cy and James right after the ring was delivered."

"Oh. Well, I have people I want to tell. I just figure that as soon as we get back and people find out its going to be crazy. So I wanted to keep this part of our engagement to ourselves. Just me and you. You told Jerry and Karen?"

"Yup. A while ago actually."

"Wat'd they say?"

"They were over the moon. Jerry just wanted a guarentee that he gets to walk with the hottest bridesmaid."

"He's a mess. But bridesmaids? Large bridal parties don't do it for me."

"Funny you say that. I said the same thing to Jer."

"I guess I could call my mom. And maybe Bradford at least."

"Actually I spoke to them too."

"What?! Bradford and my mom knew we were getting engaged this weekend?"

"Well, yeah. I had to go visit your mom and ask for her blessing. And Brad I sent tons of pictures to because I needed a good eye from someone who knew your taste for a ring."

"Fitz, that's so sweet and romantic."

"You think? I guess so. Just wanted it to be right babe."

"It's more than right. It's perfect. And you took a trip to my moms house and didnt tell me?"

"Actually I flew down for a day and took her out. We went to a nice restaurant and then I treated her to an afternoon at the spa."

"What? When was this?"

"I can't tell you that. It might ruin future surprises I have for you." He sat up from the stool and slowly made his way over to where she was standing. He put both his hands on her face and kissed her deeply.

"Mmmm...I love you." She said against his lips.

"I love you more."

"I promise as soon as we get back I'll jump on the wedding date and get some plans under way."

"Sounds good. Whatever you want is fine with me," he assured her.

"Hey Fitz.."

"Yeah?"

"We're getting married." She said with a big smile.

"We're getting married." He echoed happily.


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's the latest** **installment to the story. As always, feel free to leave a review. I love hearing from fellow gladiators:) Happy reading!**

Olivia was standing in Fitz's kitchen and cleaning his house for him before he arrived. She was visiting for the weekend and wanted to do something nice for him. It was their first time being together since they returned back to the states from St. Bart's and she couldn't wait for him to get home.

As she walked to the laundry room to start a load of dirty clothes she heard his house keys jingle in the door.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

Olivia walked out to the main room. As soon as they met eyes her face lit up and he dropped his back to meet her halfway.

"Hey you." He gave her a charming smile as he slowly slid his arms around her waist. He leaned down to sweetly kiss her.

"Mmmm. Hey hot stuff. How was work?"

"It was good. Got a lot done this actually." He kept pecking her lips over and over sweetly."How's my beautiful fiancé doing?"

She put her arms around his neck.

"I'm fine," she began giving him sweet kisses along his jaw. "I love when you call me your fiancé."

"Mmmm. Fiancé," he said in a low voice.

"Mmmm, say it again."

"Fiancé," in his sexiest voice followed by a sensual kiss.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled widely. Her glimmering eyes, beautiful high cheekbones, and full lips put Fitz in a trance.

"You hungry?" He asked.

"Yeah. I already started dinner. The chicken's marinating in the kitchen."

"Well look at you. Miss Susie Homemaker."

"When I have time on my hands I don't mind playing housewife. You know that. C'mon you can hang in the kitchen while I finish dinner." She reached up for a quick kiss before breaking away from him.

As she turned around he slapped her butt and bit his bottom lip.

"Go finish making my dinner woman!" He growled playfully as he gave her a devilish grin.

She turned around with her lips pursed and one eyebrow raised.

"Watch it, Grant."

He raised his hands innocently as they walked into the kitchen.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

They made dinner together and talked as they caught up on each others happenings. As they finished eating Fitz stood up to bring their dishes to the sink. He rolled up his sleeves and began washing their plates. Liv watched on from the island countertop as she picked at the pan of leftovers.

"All the partners at the firm keep asking if we've picked a date," he said casually as he diligently cleaned their utensils.

"And you tell them what?"

He looked at her and paused his cleaning.

"That my amazing fiancé and I have yet to decide."

"Good answer. I'm working on it. There's alot to consider with the timing of everything. It's not like we've been engaged for months. I think we're allowed a window of time to figure it all out."

"I agree. But don't get too stressed about it. As long as we're married by then end of it all, I'm fine with whatever. You know, Liv, I was thinking about a themed wedding."

"Theme?"

"Yeah. Like rock-n-roll, or 70s?" He was joking but Olivia clearly wasn't amused.

"What exactly is your gameplan anyway, if you don't mind my asking."

"Gameplan?" He was drying his hands and turned around to face her. He stood with his tall frame against the counter and his arms crossed.

"Yeah, as in what's going on in that brain of yours? What's the endgame looking like? After the wedding?"

"I got a plan," he said nonchalantly.

"Okay...and the plan being?"

"Getting married and having a lots more sex."

"That's cute," her serious tone was laced with sarcasm."How about you try that again."

"Well, I plan on marrying you, getting you pregnant, and growing old. By the way I've already found a nice plot for us to be buried side by side. We can also do one on top of the other, in which case I get the top. You know I like being on top." He winked at her. She stared at him, noticeably annoyed.

"Right. Well, that sounds simple but we live in the real world. So, I'll ask again, what's your endgame?"

"I'm not kidding. We gotta get you knocked up ASAP. You think Cyrus and James will babysit for date night?"

"What?"

"When we have kids, we'll need a reliable babysitter. James is like the gay version of Martha Stewart so I trust him with my child."

"What are you talking about? Can you be serious for five seconds please? Can you do that for me? Jesus, it's like you have Tourette's tonight," she muttered.

"I'm just playing around Liv, relax."

"I am relaxed," her body language proved otherwise.

"Could've fooled me."

"I am relaxed Fitz. But when I ask how exactly you plan on working out this marriage idea, I'd appreciate an adult conversation. Not jokes about where our caskets are being laid or how you want a rock-n-roll themed wedding. How about where are we going to live? Or what am I supposed to do with my firm if you can't leave your position in New York? Marriage is actual work, you know. It's not just a fun wedding and reception followed by a fantasy life."

Fitz's demeanor changed completely from playful to serious.

"Olivia. Out of the two of us, I think I know best what a marriage entails. So you can cut the condescending crap."

"I'm being condescending? Excuse me for being the only one that has serious questions about our future. That sounds like a promising marriage waiting to happen..." Her sarcasm was now evident.

"Because of a joke? Jesus, Liv. I guess I shouldnt be that surprised considering that it is you we're talking about."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean, Fitz?"

"You know what it means. If you're having doubts or getting cold feet can you let me know now so I can brace myself. I don't think I can survive another one of your moments when you walk away as soon as things don't go exactly your way."

"I've never walked aw-"

"Oh, really Olivia? Really? You're gonna completely ignore the fact that this is what you do? You push and push and push. It's impossible sometimes with you, I swear." He threw his hands up in the air, clearly irritated.

"Is there ever going to be a day where you _don't_ throw that in my face? I made a cold, hard decision to leave the White House. Maybe it wasn't what you wanted, but its what I needed to keep from losing my mind. Was it easy? No. But I dont need you bringing that up every time you want to prove a point. Especially considering that it was years ago! We have some serious decisions that need to be made about our future. I'm not the bad guy here Fitz! I'm not starting this marriage with two feet in the ground already. Do you hear me?!"

"Liv, do you want to be married to me?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why would I accept your proposal if I didn't want to marry you?"

"Okay, I'm just making sure, because from anyone looking in, I'd say it looks like you're trying to find reasons why we won't work. I'm too in love with you to not make sure that you definitely want this."

"Fitz, you know I do," she was insulted that he would even ask her such a question.

"Okay. Well then I think that before things escalate further we should go to bed..."

"No, we're talking about this right now."

"No!" He slammed his palm flat on the table."We're not! We're not discussing this anymore tonight Olivia," he said sternly.

He walked out of the kitchen as she sat on the island in shock. '_How dare he_ _raise his voice at me like that_' she thought. She never allowed anyone to yell at her without serious consequences to follow.

That night Olivia had every intention of sleeping on the couch. But she decided that she wasn't going to punish herself because he lost his temper. She had every right to sleep in the bedroom too, she told herself.

Late into the night she eased into the bed, not speaking a word as she settled in. Fitz was already in the bed with his back to her, but as she got situated he moved to lay on his back. Olivia was on her side, refusing to turn around to face him. Moments later Fitz broke the silence.

"I shouldn't have raised my voice tonight in the kitchen."

Olivia didnt respond.

"I was angry, but I shouldn't have raised my voice. And I'm sorry for bringing up that stuff from forever ago."

No response.

"Anything Liv? Can you say something? At least so I know you heard me."

She let out a sigh."Okay."

"Okay?"

"I said okay," her voice still agitated.

"What can I do to make this right?"

"Just go to sleep. We'll talk about it later."

Fitz knew that he was asking for trouble if he pushed the conversation further, so he stopped talking. He wanted so badly to reach over and rub her back, or touch her arm. Anything to feel her and to show her that he was sorry. But he knew his fiancé too well to try that. So, he conceded and did his best to fall asleep, feeling like half the world was in between them.

The next morning Fitz was up early reading the paper and drinking coffee as Olivia walked in the kitchen. She was wrapped in her ivory silk robe and her hair in a low messy bun. She sat on a stool right next to him and looked at him face to face. Her expression looked blank, which wasn't surprising to him.

"Fitz, I understand what you were saying last night. I...I just don't want to feel like I'm the only one taking this seriously. We have to make a lot of decisions and I feel like you don't understand that. So I feel like I'm alone, trying to figure it all out while you get to enjoy the ride."

He put his newspaper down and turned to look at her square on.

"Livvie. I know that this is serious. I understand we have a wedding to plan. I need to get my job situation figured out. We need to find a house. We need to really talk and get a good plan that works for both of us. I didn't mean to upset you. Okay? I'm sorry," he paused to stare into her eyes,"Come here."

He pulled her into his body as she leaned into his shoulders without lifting her arms. She let him hold her for a minute as he kissed her cheek. His hands had started to rub her back in a soothing circular motion. He leaned back to look at her.

"Can I get some smooches?"

She nodded her head 'yes' as she lifted her hands to cradle his face. They began kissing sweetly but it wasn't long before their tongues and lips were slowly dueling one between their passionate sensual kissing they fit in small talk.

"I hate when we argue," he said against her pout as he nipped her bottom lip.

"Me too."

"And I hate sleeping in the same bed as you and not even touching you. Last night was torture," his mouth lowered to kiss her neck.

"I know. But I was really mad Fitz," his soft smoothe lips against her neck were taking her breath away as her fingers massaged his hair.

"I'm so sorry Liv," he raised his face to look her in her eyes.

"I'm sorry too."

Their mouths met again, this time more aggressively. As they stood up and Fitz leaned into her roughly, her back being pushed into the edge of the counter. He was holding her face with one hand and groping her ass with the other.

"I'm going to make love to you right now," he whispered in her ear as his tongue flicked her earlobe, followed by a light tug from his teeth.

"Right here? We can go take a shower."

"Uh-uh. I want to lay you down on that table and show you how sorry I am."

"Fitz..."

"Let me show you." He whispered in her ear.

Without giving him a response she gave him a seductive look and took his hand to lead him towards the living room.

"I said the table," he said as she was pulling him along.

"I want the couch."

Olivia removed her robe casually, took off her top and bra and laid on her back. He undressed as she watched. Before he eased on top of her he peeled off her panties. He slowly placed himself above her, situating himself in between her legs. The back of her head rested on the arm of the couch as he got comfortable. It was as if they were moving in slow motion until he aligned his body with hers and eased himself inside, the entire time never losing eye contact.

"Fitz," she gasped faintly.

His hips began shifting his hard erection in and out of her warm entrance gently.

"God, Olivia. You feel so good," his lips kissed hers softly. She let out a faint whimper as she clenched her jaw and her eyes fluttered.

As he began making love to her he held her waist down so that he was the only one doing the work. Her back was slightly arched as she met every one of his smoothe thrusts. After moments of silent movement with occasional grunts and moans, he began whispering in her ear.

"I'm so sorry baby. I love you. Do you feel how much I love you?" He asked in a low tone.

Her hands reached up to hold around his neck.

"Do you feel that Liv? God,you drive me crazy sometimes," his hips were riding in a deep circular motion to make sure she felt all of him. His body weight on top of her felt heavy but she loved being so close to him. It felt like magic to her, leaving her speechless as her face reflected both pleasure and pain.

He lowered his head slightly to keep talking in her ear as he moved in her.

"You drive me crazy baby. I'm so sorry for last night."

"Fitz," Olivia loved how he was moving in and out of her. Slow but intense. Her nails giving deep scratches along his lower back. She knew he was sorry, but this was the best apology she could ask for. This powerful man begging for forgiveness and exclaiming his love. It was heaven.

He lifted his face from her ear to look into her eyes.

"I love you." His hips made deeper and longer motions into her. A few times he'd go as far as he could, and stay there until her eyes showed she couldn't take any more.

"You're so deep Fitz," her high-pitched voice assured him that he was loving her just right.

"I want you to know how much I love you."

"I know," she said gasping for air as she licked her lips and watched the intensity in his face.

"Anything you want feel how hard you get me?" His voice was strained as he held onto her and gave her delicate kisses.

"God, yes."

"Tell me Liv. I need you to say it."

"I feel how hard I get you."

Hearing her say this almost sent him over the edge. But he focused on her face wanting to give her more. He himself looked as if he were in a trance, a daze, as he spoke firmly.

"Tell me you love me."

"I love you."

"Say it again," he said intensely as he stared into her brown eyes.

"I love you Fitz." She was more than turned on by his commands. At that moment she knew that he needed to feel her love too. She stopped prolonging the inevitable and allowed her body to be taken by him completely. As she climaxed he groaned and pulled her onto him closely to feel every pulse that was sent through her body to his. It was mind blowing how good she felt. Within seconds his body reacted to the sensation and he reached his own finish.

His body finally gave out and dropped limp on top of hers. He didnt want to pull himself out. His body rested against her soft brown skin as he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, both of them catching their breath.

"Can we just lay here for a minute?" He asked as he laid his head to the side on top of her chest.

"I don't think we have a choice. I can't feel my legs right now."

He looked up at her as she placed her palms on her forehead and looked to the ceiling.

"It was that good?"

"It was that good," she assured him as she began combing his hair with her fingers. He laid his head back down on her chest and closed his eyes before letting out a sigh of relaxation.

"I found a house in Alexandria I want you to look at."

"What?"

"I found a house in-"

"No, I heard you. When did this happen?"

"I've had my eye on it for a while. Before St. Bart's actually. But I didn't want you to get scared at the thought of buying a house. I know that's a big commitment."

"Well so is getting married."

"True. So then you'll come with me to look at it?"

"Of course. Just let me know and I'll clear my schedule."

"And I've been talking to a few people. There's a couple of really good job opportunities for me here in Washington that I've been eyeing."

"Fitz. Why didnt you say any of this last night? This is what I call a severe delayed reaction."

"I don't know. I don't know what happend last night. I really don't."

"So have you started taking meetings about the positions?"

"Nope. Not yet. Alot of emails and a few conference calls. I have most of the proposals with me so we can look over them together this weekend. I wanted to use your professional opinion."

"Okay."

"And one other thing you might not be too happy about..."

"What?"

"My mom's throwing us an engagement party."

"No. Not happening. Not even a chance."

"The invitations have already been sent out."

"Fitz!"

"I know this is a big deal. Honestly, I didn't know when to drop the bomb on you. I tried to get out of it. She insisted."

"Lord knows you can't say no to your mother." She said under her breath.

"Hey."

"I know. Sorry. I guess it could be worse." She took a few seconds to compose herself."When and where?"

"Next month, on the 17th. And it's being hosted on The Ranch."

"We're having an engagement party in California in three weeks?"

"We'll fly your mom and some friends in. It won't be too bad. I promise."

He opened his eyes and lifted his head up.

"Separate showers?"

"We can take one together. But no extra playtime. I want to go over those job proposals before the weekend gets away from us."

Fitz stood up and placed his hand out to help Olivia off the couch. He picked her up and cradled her in both arms as he kissed her lips.

"That was good makeup sex," he said proudly.

"Yeah. Just think of how much more you're gonna owe me after this engagement party."

"Trust me, I know."


	11. Chapter 11

"Olivia, this is gonna be great! Rubbing shoulders with fabulous west coast politicians and businessmen. It's right up our alley. I've always wanted to be with a man in politics," Bradford smirked a little to himself and looked out the window at the property they were approaching. His mouth dropped open.

"Somebody makes bank! Fitzgerald is seriously from a rich family! I mean I know he used to be president and all but, Jesus!"

"Bradford, you act as if you're family isn't one of the richest in the country."

"But my family buys boring things like art, and spends money on small but expensive condos within the concrete jungle of New York City. Clearly the Grants spend their money a little differently. I mean, Liv, this house looks like we're driving up to Disney World...on steroids."

"Yes, they come from money, but the Grants are also very sweet. I was around them a handful of times during the campaign and they've always been kind. Besides, the family has owned this property for generations. They just keep building on it."

"Yeah, yeah, I know they're the sweet rich type. I thought FG3 has a crazy sister," he said curiously out of the side of his mouth.

"Crazy? No. Not my biggest fan? Yes. She was basically in love with Mellie. So in her opinion I'm only second best, I guess. Margaret Grant, loving wife of Ken Schuler, the beloved Governor of California."

"Ah, yes. Margaret Grant, affectionately called Maggie. I knew my memory wasn't failing me. She does know that Mellie cheated on him for years and years, right?"

"She told me once, in her own special way, that an emotional affair is worse than a physical one. That's how she felt about Fitz and I before the divorce. But, really, she's entitled to her opinion. I'm sure she wanted to jump out of a window when she heard about our engagement."

"Well, I, for one, am excited to see her. Maggie Grant sounds like just the type of woman I watch for entertainment at events such as these," he wrapped his arms around Olivia's shoulders and shook her out of excitement. "I can smell the money and scotch from here, my dear. This is going to be fun."

As the car pulled up to the front of the main mansion, Olivia saw Fitz waving ready to greet them. He briskly walked over to the car and opened her door. As she got out she could see he was excited that she was joining him for the weekend.

"Livvie,"He hugged her tightly not wanting to let go. She lightly moaned at the perfection of her body against his.

"Hey you," she pulled back to reach up and give him a kiss on his lips. He lifted her left hand to his mouth to lay a sweet peck on her ring finger and smiled at her.

"Mmm, I'm so glad you're here Liv. I thought you were going to find a reason to not make it."

"My own engagement party? How could I not show up?" She joked as she playfully patted his arm.

"Ha! I wouldn't put it past you, Olivia!" Bradford shouted as he walked over towards them from his side of the car.

"The man of the hour!" Fitz broke away from Olivia to give him a firm handshake."Bradford thanks so much for delivering my future bride safely."

"Oh, , You give me too much credit. When I heard Abby couldnt make the trip because of the flu I felt sorry for a minute. And then I thanked my lucky stars that I could take her place in the festivities," he shamelessly said.

"Yeah, I hear she has it pretty badly. But I'm glad you were able to join us. It should be a nice two days. I know Liv could use a friend to complain about everything to," his raised eyes landed on Olivia who stared back innocently.

"Fitz, I know it won't be that bad. I just hate doing stuff that's so public. Photographers and caterers and guests and gifts. You know I revel in my privacy."

He reached over to hold her hands as their fingers played with one another's sweetly. He placed himself directly in front of her to look into her beautiful dark brown eyes. The sun was shining on her perfectly, accenting the golden tones in her brown skin.

"You're making my family very, very happy by going along with all of this. My mother is already singing your praises as her new daughterinlaw. And you know my dad was in love with you from the campaign."

"I know. Its fine. It's just not easy for me. I'd take my stressful job over a dinner party in my honor any a judge from going to jail for an alleged prostituton incident? Easy as pie. A huge party in my honor with my fiancé's family? Not so much."

He chuckled and kissed the side of her cheek.

"Come on, they're setting up the tent in the back."

He led the way as Bradford followed closely taking it all in. Fitz was just as proud as could be as he walked her thorough the mansion towards the back where his mother was ordering people around.

"Look who decided to show up," he smiled as Genevieve Grant turned around.

Mrs. Grant, was a petite woman with a natural glow about her. Her perfectly tailored slacks and light blouse showed off her well maintained figure. Her dark brown hair was almost the same color as her eyes. And her thin smile was reminiscent of her sons. She clearly was where Fitz got his age defying looks. It was almost impossible for many to guess her actual age.

"Olivia," the warmth in her voice melted Liv's heart as she walked over to hug her.

Their embrace caused Fitz to smile as he looked on proudly.

"My future daughter-in-law. Just as beautiful as can be," she cupped Olivia's face much in the same way Fitz grew accustomed to.

"Mrs. Grant you're too sweet. Thank you so much for this. For all of this. You didn't have to."

"Oh, Olivia. Please, I've told you time and time again to call me Ginny. And as far as the party goes, of course! I am more than excited to celebrate such a wonderful addition to the family. Even though I heard Fitz had to use some special magic to get you out here."

"Well, I don't know how special his magic is," Olivia nervously laughed looking to Fitz.

"So then I guess that means you're bedroom skills could use some work, Fitzgerald?" She joked dryly.

"Mother, really?"

"I'm kidding! Loosen up. And is this Abby?" She asked turning her attention to Bradford.

He laughed charmingly.

"Bradford Ellerbe, ma'am. Our dear friend Abigail has the flu so I was summoned to make the trek with Olivia instead."

"Well, Mr. Ellerbe, thank you for that. I love those pants by the way. Classy fellow, I see." Ginny looked him up and down slowly and finished with an impressed look on her face.

"Is Dad around yet? Olivia can say hello before she begins getting ready for the party."

"Your father is still off playing golf with his little friends. They'll be back for the engagement party this evening. In the meantime you kids should freshen up. The guests will be here before you know it. Fitzgerald, show Olivia where she'll be staying. And, Bradford?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"Come with me. There are a few decisions to make on the rest of the decorations for this evening. I have a sneaky suspicion you could be of some help in this area."

"A woman after my own heart. Shall we?" He extended his arm for her to grab a hold of as they walked away. Fitz and Olivia laughed lightly as they stood together and watched them disappear towards the back of the mansion.

"Let me show you the room," Fitz grabbed Olivia by the hand and pulled her up the grand staircase.

As they entered the room it was obvious that Fitz had made himself comfortable since his arrival.

"Wow. This is the guest bedroom huh?" She was impressed by her surroundings as she walked throughout the large room. The walk-in closet and enormous bathroom added to the impeccable layout.

"Yeah. I know, it's all a bit flashy," he plopped on the bed and motioned for Olivia to join him,"but you've been here before Liv."She took off her jacked and crawled next to him over the messy comforters.

As they snuggled with one another they both let out a big sigh.

"Last time I was here was during the campaign and if you recall I stayed at the Hilton along with the rest of the staff. I didn't even make it past the main floor," she laughed to herself.

"I remember that week. I should've stopped trying to be the boyscout and given you the special tour," he teased her as he lowered his nose to smell her hair.

"Mmmmm...I wouldn't have taken you up on your offer anyway."

"Yeah, right."

They cuddled in silence and enjoyed a few moments of quiet together.

"I can't believe I'm in your parents house about to get dressed for our engagement party."

"It's kinda surreal, right? Just think of all the days we were on the campaign trail, the beginning of my presidency when I couldn't even look in your direction without going crazy. All of those days where we wanted to be together, but we couldn't. And here we are."

"Here we are," she pressed herself into him tightly. He kissed the top of her head.

"I'm so tired. I slept most of the flight over here but I guess it wasn't enough."

"Take a nap Liv. You're allowed to relax."

"I can't. I have to start getting ready." She looked down at her watch to notice that she was running out of time before guests arrived.

Fitz covered her wrist as she looked at it, forcing her to look up at him.

"If you're tired, Livvie, take a nap. You can run a little late to your own party."

"I know. I'm just too wound up right now."

"You need me to unwind you?" He grinned as his hands starting sensually rubbing her neck.

"Mmmm, I don't think we have time," she sleepily responded as she yawned.

He rolled them over so she was on her back and he was balancing himself above her.

"Let's make time, Liv." He began kissing her neck and gently slipped his hand under the hem of her shirt.

"Fitz," she whispered as she held his face and lifted it to look at her."Fitz, we can't. After, I promise."

"Liv, do you feel me right now?" He pressed his hardened length into her thigh."I won't last until after."

"I promise after. I will do anything you want for as long as you want. Right now I can't focus on having sex. Especially good sex."

He rolled on his back as he sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Don't be sorry. I blame my mother, not you," he smiled as he propped himself on his side to look at her.

"I'm gonna go take a shower beautiful. You can take this bathroom to get ready and I'll use the one across the hall." He kissed her nose and got himself up from the bed. Liv's eyes were drawn to his obvious bulge.

"See what you do to me?"

"I know. Trust me, the raincheck will be worth the wait," she winked and seductively licked her full lips causing him to laugh.

They both got showered and dressed separately. Meeting back in their bedroom to enter the party together.

"Wow, Livvie," he lowered his head to quickly peck her full pout.

"Yeah?" She asked innocently and gave a bashful smile.

"You look amazing." He looked her up and down slowly. She was wearing a simply cut white cocktail dress that was just above her knee. And her strappy heels were the perfect accent to her simple yet cute outfit.

"You look handsome as always." He chose a dark charcoal photographers suit and a crisp white shirt.

"Shall we?" His hand extended for her to hold on as their fingers locked.

They entered the party as it had already began and all the guests stopped to turn their attention towards the glowing couple. Everyone clapped and raised their glasses for a warm welcome to the festivities. Olivia and Fitz spent a large part of the evening socializing with friends and associates of the Grant family. They mingled and took pictures for local newspapers and websites. They barely had time to sit and eat before the next guest was being introduced to them, asking about the couples future plans together. Before they noticed, the night was more than halfway over.

"Are my eyes deceiving me? I think I spy that handsome brother of mine," Maggie said as she approached them.

She was just as Olivia remembered. The same height as Fitz, almost his identical twin, just with shoulder length dark brown hair. She was a little heavier, nothing that was unexpected due to the fact that she had kids. She wore a long black dress and her hair was swept in an up-do. Her red lipstick finished the overall look.

"Look who decided to bless us with her presence," He said playfully as he gave her a hug.

"Politics keeps a woman like me busy, what can I say?"

As she pulled back from their hug and held his hands she turned her head and weakly smiled at Olivia who has been standing back politely to let them have their moment.

"Olivia," she acted surprised to see her,"I guess congratulations are in order," she nodded her head as though they were nothing but acquaintences.

"Maggie,thank you for coming. We really appreciate it."

"Well of course. If my brother is going to give marriage another go I should at least be around to watch the show," her cold demeanor didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't believe we've met, I'm Bradford Ellerbe. And you are?"

"Margaret Grant-Schuler. Wife of Ken Schuler."

"Never heard of him."

"The Governor of California?"

"Hmph. Well I'm from the east coast. You know we're a little slow on the news feed over there. I thought the Terminator was still in charge. Silly me," he joked trying to break the ice.

"You must be one of Olivia's friends."

"Yes. One of her best friends. So that makes you and I _almost_ family," his tone was playful as he winked. Margaret completely ignored his small talk and turned her attention to her brother.

"Other than lunch yesterday we've barely had time to catch up. Your trips are entirely too short since you've moved out east."

"That's true. But my family is on the east coast, Margaret. Liv and the kids might not like it if I flew to California every time my big sister got bored." He rubbed Olivia's back affectionately. Maggie winced at the sight of them in obvious love.

"Well, Ken should be here shortly. I'll send him in your direction when he arrives. In the meantime I'll let you two mingle. I have a few people I need to chat with." She walked away quickly and Bradford excused himself to go get a drink. Fitz and Olivia were left standing alone.

"Maybe one day she'll get used to us," she said in a low voice so only he could hear her. They shared a sweet smile."How about you take me over to a quiet corner so I can have a seat."

"You're getting worn out aren't you."

"A little. I don't know if its something I ate or not but I'm not feeling too hot. Maybe that seafood didn't agree with me."

"I hope you're not getting that same stomach bug as Abby. C'mon we can go take a breather in that back corner."

"Lead the way ."

They hid themselves in the emptiest part of the room at one of the large circular tables that hadn't been used all night. Fitz sat closely next to Olivia as they got lost in their own world, talking quietly and whispering in each others ears. They joked about some of the bizarre conversations they had with the guests that evening. Fitz was smiling and laughing at everything Liv said as he gently caressed her long Fitz's father approached them.

"Fitzgerald!"

"Dad," he responded in an irritated tone due to being interrupted.

"You all look like two lovesick teenagers over here in this corner. You do realize this whole shebang is for you?"

"Yeah I know. Just trying to get some quiet time with Liv."

"Well quiet time is over my boy. Your brother-in-law finally arrived and has been looking for you. There are a few people he wants to introduce you to."

Fitz looked at Liv.

"It's fine, Fitz. Go ahead and chat. I'm actually gonna sneak away for a bit and run up to the room to check a few emails. Harrison was supposed to be sending me some information."

"You sure? I can blow them off."

"Don't be silly. I could use a few moments of quiet time anyway."

"Well I'll sneak away shortly too and meet you up there okay? Wait for me and I'll be up in a bit," he leaned over for a quick kiss before standing."I love you."

"Love you too. Take your time. I have plenty of work to keep me busy."

About half an hour had gone by of him socializing with various politicians. Fitz was dying to get out of there so he casually left the party to find Liv. Most of the guests had left anyway so he didnt feel bad. As he made his way to their bedroom he looked in and didnt see her. Right before he turned to leave he heard a noise come from the bathroom.

"Liv? You okay?" He asked as he walked into the bathroom and knocked.

Fitz opened the door and looked down to find Olivia kneeled on the ground in front of the toilet. He immediately lowered himself to be right next to her.

"Livvie,"he said softly as his hand rubbed her back. She barely raised her head up, her breathing slightly staggered.

"I'm okay, I just-"

"What can I do? You want some water? Ginger Ale? If you need medicine I can run to the store..."

"No, I'm fine. I just got a little sick. Guess this means no more seafood for me." She flushed the toilet and leaned over to sit with her back against the wall as she sat on the floor trying to regulate her breathing.

"I'll get a thermometer. Maybe you have a fever," he stood to begin a search for one.

"No.I don't think I have a fever," she said as she rubbed her forehead and let out a faint sigh. Her chest was lowering and rising shallowly and she looked up at the ceiling.

He inched over, still on his knees, to be next to her and rub her back again. Her usually rich brown skin looked pale and clammy. Her eyes seemed glossed over and her lips looked swollen from wiping her mouth so much.

"You sure? You really don't look well. Maybe something you ate was-"

"I think I'm pregnant Fitz."

He immediately halted rubbing her back and stared at her with his mouth open, speechless. She rolled her head to the side as it rested against the wall to look at his reaction. His entire face had dropped.

"We're pregnant?"

"I said I _think_..."

"Have you taken a pregnancy test?"

"No."

"Don't get my hopes up kid," he joked, trying to make her feel better."You probably just have the same stomach bug as sick doesn't always mean pregnant Liv." He began rubbing her back again to try and relax her.

"I know that. But lately I've had a few days like this where I just feel like shit. I'm exhausted no matter how much I rest, and my body feels weird. Not to mention my boobs have been killing me. All I keep thinking is that this is how I felt last time. _Exactly_ how I felt. Just...off."

"Okay. Well then I'll be right back. I'll run to the store and get some tests," he said seriously as he stood up.

"Don't bother. I have two with me in my luggage," she muttered while her hand lazily swung towards the direction of the bedroom.

"Really? Where? I'll grab them."

"I'll get it. I'm not dying, it was just a little throw up." She braced herself and wiped her tired eyes before standing up to walk to her suitcase.

He followed her and sat on the bed as she dug through her belongings.

"So if you packed those for the trip..." He trailed off trying to put two and two together.

"Like I said, I've felt strange for a couple of days now. Seemed smart to pack them just in case."

"Oh. You want me to go in the bathroom with you Liv?"

"Wait here. Nothing less sexy than seeing your fiancé pee on a stick."

"I've watched you linger about your business, half dressed, on the commode, inches away from me, while I'm brushing my teeth. I'm pretty sure we're past the shy stage in our relationship," he gave her a sweet thin smile as he touched her hand,"but I'll wait here anyway."

"Hang tight," she let out a sigh and went to use the bathroom. It didn't take long before she walked out and sat right next to him on the edge of the bed. They waited shoulder to shoulder staring in the direction of the bathroom.

"No matter what it says, I love you. Either way we'll figure it out, together. Okay?"

She responded by throwing herself backwards to flop on top of the comforters. Her hands covered her eyes as she groaned."I _cannot_ believe this is happening! At my own engagement party!"

He chuckled at her dramatic moment and reached over to gently rub her stomach with his hand.

"It could be worse Liv. Really. Do you want some ginger ale while we wait? I'll get you some. Or some tea? How about crackers?"

"Fitz, I feel like you're freaking out."

"No, not at all. I just want you to be allright, okay?"

"Thanks," she sat up and lightly kissed his shoulder before she leaned against it."My stomach feels a lot better right now. I guess I just had to get it out of my system. I'm really trying to process what's happening right now."

He lifted his arm to pull her into him.

"That's allowed, Liv," he said as he spoke into her hair and kissed her gently.

"Hey Fitz?"

"Yep?" He held her hand ready to do anything she needed from him in that moment.

"I think it's been five minutes."

**So what do you think?! Pregnancy scare or the flu? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Still deciding on the direction of the next chapter. Do me a favor and leave a review! It always helps for a little feedback from the readers. Until next time!**


	12. Chapter 12

**4 Months Post-Engagement Party**

Fitz rolled over in bed as he slightly wakened from his slumber. His arm reached out to pull Olivia's body into him for warmth only to find an empty space. As his head lifted off his pillow to look around the dark bedroom, he noticed the bright red numbers from the alarm clock. 2:37 am. He had fallen asleep after her but somehow Olivia managed to sneak out of bed. The bathroom light wasn't on, and neither was the hallway, so that could only mean one thing: she was in the kitchen. He got up tiredly and headed through the house to find her. Olivia was exactly where he thought she'd be.

"You okay?" He asked in a raspy voice, his eyes barely open.

She sat in the dimly lit kitchen on the island table, Indian style, with her full bangs and curly mess of bed hair crowding her face. She wore a tightly fit tank top and her favorite pair of iPad was sitting comfortably in the middle of her legs as she was looking down at the screen. At the sound of his voice she looked up and gave a sleepy smile and a soft sigh.

Her voice was barely audible as she spoke.

"Hey you."

He was wearing nothing but his charcoal colored briefs as he walked over. His broad shoulders, firm chest, and abs were noticeable, even in the darkened room. Fitz looked sexy as always to her but he was also obviously tired. If Olivia didn't know any better she would have thought he was sleepwalking.

"Can't sleep?" He asked quietly as he approached her.

"I couldn't fall asleep so I got up. I didn't want to wake you so I figured I'd watch something on Netflix to kill some time."

She placed her iPad down on the granite countertop and smiled. He was now standing at the edge of the island and lightly pulled her small body closer to legs lowered and were hanging on the side so Fitz could stand in between them as he gently caressed her thighs. His large hands traced firm strokes against the smooth skin of her legs. They both gave warm smiles as they looked into each others eyes.

"Hi handsome."

"Hi." Fitz took this moment to lean in for a sweet kiss."You okay Liv?"

She cleared her throat and twitched her head slightly to clear her bangs and messy hair from her eyes.

"I'm fine," she assured him as her hands lifted to cup his face on either side. "Sorry about how dinner ended. I know I completely shut down. Are you okay?"

He let out a sigh.

"You dont have to worry about me Liv." He gently pulled her as close to him as possible by her waist until their foreheads touched."You're the one I'm worried about. I don't want you to be stressed. It's not good for you or the baby."

"I'm not stressed out Fitz. I promise. Did today catch me off guard? Yes...But I'm fine. Really." She was gently rubbing his firm chest now in slow deep motions. Her nails occasionally grazed his ivory skin and lightly played with his chest hair. She leaned forward to taste his lips. "And don't tell me not to worry about you. You're my husband, of course I'm going to worry." She was close enough to his face to speak against his mouth but still look him in his gray eyes. "Okay?"

He gave her a look letting her know he appreciated her concern. As he stood there his hands began to make their way to pull up the hem of her tank top exposing her belly. It wasn't a very noticeable baby bump but you could tell she was finally beginning to show. He looked down and smiled thinly as he held her stomach and rubbed her skin.

"How's our little one?" He asked with a little extra life in his voice.

"He or she is fine. Starting to feel more flutters so that's good." Liv placed her arms around his neck so he could get a good view of her stomach. He looked at her and gave a cheesy grin.

"Uh, what?" She was smiling back at him but looked mildly confused.

"You're just really sexy. This perfect little belly, your hips and thighs are getting a little thicker..."

"Are you calling me fat Dr. Grant?"

He leaned in to tickle her neck with his nose and smell her. He inhaled and exhaled deeply against her.

"Mmm. I said thick, not fat." His voice radiated off her skin sending a chill down her spine. Her eyes rolling shut at the pleasurable feeling.

"So this is the real reason why you came to check on me," she teased quietly as they held each other in the dark kitchen. He began kneading her thighs deeply as his tongue licked up her neck, in between her ear and her collarbone. He trailed kisses and gave light bites along the way.

"Livvie," he whispered seductively in between wet kisses. She hadn't been in the mood when she woke up, but Fitz had a way of changing her mind when he was in her presence. It especially didn't help that he was practically naked already."I can't help that my extremely sexy wife turns me on every single time I look at her."

Her fingers were playing in his thick curly hair slowly, tugging and scratching at his scalp sensually. Their movements were slow and careful, both of them taking their time.

"Let's do this in the bed," she whispered in his ear as her plump lips lightly sucked and nipped his earlobe.

He leaned back to look her in her eyes. One of his hands lifted from her hip to her face. He brushed away her messy hair and bangs and guided her chin up as he spoke to her. He raised an eyebrow and had a devilish look on his face.

"We're in the kitchen," he leaned in to lightly kiss her lips slipping his tongue in quickly. "It's only fitting that I have what I want in here." With that he placed both his hands back on her hips and slowly pulled off her boy short underwear, exposing her already wet and shiny center. He kept her underwear in his hand as he lifted it to his nose to inhale deeply.

"Mmmm. Did Netflix get you wet or is this all me?" He joked as he placed her panties on the counter top and gently held Olivia's face. Having her half naked on the counter put him on an entirely next level of desire. The movements of his mouth showed that. His erection was pressing into her moist center as their flesh was only separated by the thin material of his briefs. The hardness of his length was everything she wanted, almost too much.

"Fitz, you know how sensitive I've been."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just letting you know. If you keep grinding your hard cock into me, I might explode."

"Mmmm. Say that again."

"Explode?" She said playfully, giving a wide smile as she bit her bottom lip.

"Somebody thinks they're funny. The other thing Livvie. You know exactly what I mean." He lowered his mouth to a small spot on her neck just under her ear to bite and suck her flesh. Normally she didn't let him leave any evidence on her of their intimate moments. But after the day she had, a love-mark didn't seem so bad. Her eyes rolled shut as she felt him brand her. Feeling him bite her put her mind in another zone.

"You mean when I said your hard cock." Her voice low and smooth.

"Mmmm baby. Say it again," his voice growled with love and passion.

Saying each word slow and deliberately Olivia repeated herself. "Your. Hard. Cock."

"You want it? If you want it, you have to tell me," he teased her with his boyish grin but deep manly voice.

"Fitz," her her big brown eyes looked up at him with a glimmer of intrigue as her voice dropped its pitch. "I want your hard cock." She tried to keep a sultry look about her but couldn't help to start giggling at what she had just said. Fitz smiled at her beaming expression. He tilted his head down barely leaving any space in between their faces.

"I'm so in love with you," his mouth whispered against hers as he discreetly pulled his erection from his briefs. He lowered the fabric just enough to expose his rock hard member. They both looked down as he slowly slid into her, watching their flesh become one.

"Damn, Liv," he said in a strained voice. Fitz's hands held both sides of her hips firmly. His neck immediately rolled back as he looked up towards the ceiling, wincing, and slowly going deeper.

"Livvie, you're so tight."He held himself in her for a moment as he relished in her warmth. His head tilted forward to look at her as he attempted to compose himself so as not to finish prematurely.

As he clenched his jaw and looked at Olivia she began riding him, her hips slowly grinding. The rolling sensation they both felt left them to enjoy the pleasure together. Fitz's hands raised to her breasts which he grabbed handfuls of. His mouth reaching down to lick and tease her nipples one at a time.

"Yes," she airily moaned. Ever since the pregnancy her body was extremely sensitive to the touch. Fitz loved that and took advantage of his ability to drive her crazy with just one flick of his tongue. She knew exactly how to roll her body against him as payback for his sweet torture. She set her own rhythm, tightening her walls around him. His slick skin was sliding in and out of her too perfectly.

"You're going to make me come Liv," he groaned in a deep voice, barely able to speak.

"I want you to."

"Wrap your legs around me."

She did just as he ordered.

"Tighter," his hands lifted her thighs up higher around his waist and squeezed them into his sides,"like this baby."

"God Fitz"

"You like that? You know you do." His face scrunched up, lips tightening, hands holding her body firmly as he was trying to stop himself from completely ravishing her."Fuck you feel good."

"Yes." Her breathless response was almost inaudible as her head tilted back and her eyes remained closed.

"Say my name baby."

She whimpered and moaned but not a word escaped her mouth.

"Say it Livvie."

It took every ounce of focus and concentration to appease him. With her eyes still closed his rhythm began to change as he drove into her. She managed to force out a light whisper."Fitz."

"Again."

"Fitz," she moaned louder for him this time, lifting her head to look at him hazily. His demands and calculated thrusts were sending her over the edge, and quick. She was seconds away from reaching her orgasm. Fitz picked up his pace with piercing movements from his hips into her. Her small body on the countertop was rapidly and visibly losing control as Fitz seemed determined to make her unravel.

"I know you're close baby. Scream my name. Please," he begged as his hips drove into her deliberately. Her body engulfed every last inch of him. She couldn't take anymore. Olivia gave in to his desire to hear him moan his name as she came.

"Fitzgerald" She threw her head back and moaned loudly, her nails digging into his neck.

That was it. That last scream of his name coming from her full, sexy mouth was about all he could take. He could feel her warm, slick walls begin to pulse against his erection. She hazily watched him furrow his brow and bite down harshly on his bottom lip as he came with her. He rocked into her one last time and pulled her body tightly onto his as their bodies exploded from their climax. His arms wrapped around her as he felt her muscles spasm against him. Their hearts were beating in sync as they slowly came down from their mind blowing high. His lips met her collarbone and his teeth firmly bit into her as he groaned into her flesh loudly.

"You're perfect," she said airily into his hair while gaining her breath. Fitz remained like putty in her arms before slowly pulling out. He wiped off before putting himself back in his briefs and helping Olivia clean up. She inched off the edge of the countertop to her feet and put her panties back on.

"Was that better than how your day began?" He said as he leaned down for a quick kiss.

"You could say that," she winked and kissed his chest softly.

"Come back to bed. Maybe you can fall asleep now." He picked her up and cradled her in his arms as he walked back to their bedroom.

Fitz fell asleep immediately as they spooned together. Olivia tried but she couldn't get her mind off of the days events.

* * *

As she walked into her favorite organic store that morning she wore her usual casual apparel. Skinny jeans, her favorite cognac colored Oxford flats, and a grey slim fit tshirt. The simply casual look was completed with a pair of black oversized sunglasses which were partly covered by her bangs as the rest of her hair was up in a pony tail of loosened curls.

Olivia had a few items to pick up for dinner later that night. She had been craving fresh vegetables and decided to swing by the grocery store after grabbing some paperwork from her office she had forgotten. It was early in the morning on a Saturday so she hoped not many people would be in the market. As she parked at the store and walked towards the automatic entrance she noticed a man in all black smoking a cigarette outside, as if he were waiting for someone. His clothes looked slightly disheveled and his beard wasn't neatly trimmed. But, as she passed him to walk in she smiled politely. It didn't take much time for her to shop for the items and make her way to the checkout. Before long she was walking with her bags back towards her car.

Directly behind her car she noticed the same man from when she walked inside the store, this time with a professional camera. He was standing with a woman who was also dressed in all black. They sat calmly and began taking pictures from afar in Olivias direction. She stopped walking as she approached the area where her car was parked and looked directly at them.

"Can I help you with something?" She yelled down the lot as soon as she spotted them.

They didn't respond but walked closer towards her, beginning to make her nervous. Her initial reaction was to lower her sunglasses from her head back over her face. As she walked closer her free hand laid across her stomach to cover her subtle baby bump.

"Ms. Pope, we just want a few pictures."

"And you are?" She asked still walking towards her car.

"The Washington Beat," they showed their credentials."Do you care to comment on your relationship with the president? Or your pregnancy?"

Olivia stopped walking immediately and stood in shock. '_How dare they_ _follow me'_, she thought. Before she had a chance to fully process what was happening the man walked closer to get various shots of her, from all angles. She was tense and kicked it in high gear to get out of that parking lot.

"I don't give interviews." She picked up the pace and walked with her head towards the ground so they couldn't get a good picture.

" ! Just one picture!" They began following her closely, taking snapshots without her consent. As she walked too fast to catch up to the man with the camera ran in front of her forcing her to stop for a second and reroute herself to her car.

"Rub the belly with your left hand?! Just one good picture!"

She finally reached her car and frantically tried to open her back door to throw the bags in. In the chaos she realized she hadn't unlocked her doors yet. The photographer stepped closer to her almost leaning over her trunk for a better shot.

"Step the hell away from my car!" She fumbled with her keys and used the remote to unlock the door.

"Any comment? Ms Pope, are you happy with the president? Have you chosen a baby name? Will the Grant children visit DC for the birth?" The woman was asking a rapid fire of questions with a personal recorder in the palm of her hand. Olivia did her best to keep her composure as she got into her car. Even after the door was shut and the car turned on, the photographer and reporter proceeded to harass her through the window. She shifted the car in drive and sped off as fast as she could. As soon as she turned out of the parking lot all of her walls felt as if they were crumbling down. She's could feel her body turn from defense mode into a jumbled mess of emotions. Her eyes welling up with tears as she attempted to control her breathing. Olivia felt as if she were on the verge of a panic attack.

She immediately dialed Fitz through her cars Bluetooth. The ringing of his phone was heard through her speaker system. As she drove she quietly pleaded for him to pick up, the tears now freely rolling down her face.

"How's my baby momma?" He joked as he answered the phone. This was his new nickname for her and each time he used it he would chuckle at the term. This day wasn't any different.

"Fitz?" Her voice was shaking as she cautiously took her exit for the highway.

He immediately was alarmed by the sound of her voice. "What's wrong? Where are you?"

"I'm sorry, don't worry , I just-" She tried to get control of herself as she drove so she wouldn't do anything erratic.

"What's going on? Is it the baby?" His frantic questioning forced her want to pull her thoughts together.

"No. Everything's okay."

"Liv I need you to tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me."

"Im sorry." She took a deep breath and sighed. "I just left the market. There was a reporter and photographer waiting for me when I walked out."

"What?! Did they hurt you?"

"No, I just got a little shaken up. They were so close. I just kept thinking about the baby."

"Dammit," he said in a low tone behind his gritted teeth. His body immediately tensed at the thought of anything bringing her to this point of being upset."Livvie..."

"They kept yelling asking me questions and followed me to my car. One was so close to me I had to practically run him over just to get out."

"Jesus Liv. Where are you now? I'll come get you."

"I'm already on my way home. Don't leave work. I just- I got a little scared. I just needed to hear your voice. Don't leave work, okay?"

"Listen to me. I'm leaving my office now. Get home safe. I'll meet you Liv? I'll be there when you get there. Just be safe. Please."

She wanted to be strong and insist that she was fine. But in reality, that incident shook her nerves to her core. She didn't bother fighting him on meeting her at the house."Okay," her tone sounding defeated.

"I love you Liv. Please, please be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. I love you too."

Later that evening after talking they sat at the table and ate one of Olivia's favorite salads. Fitz wanted her to take it easy so he insisted on preparing the meal. They had spoken for hours after the incident that day so they enjoyed a few moments of silence as they ate together.

"You know what this means, right? After today?" Fitz said, as he finished his food.

"I'll tell you right now, I'm not switching and finding another organic store. I've been going to that one since I moved to Washington. So, no, that's out of the question." She was clearly exhausted and her tone made it even more evident.

"Thats not what I'm talking about Liv. I meant that this means you're getting a secret service detail."

Olivia jerked her head up from her food to see Fitz sitting across from her. His face was as serious as it could be, his jaw tensed, and his arms crossed. She could tell he had no intention of changing his mind.

"Listen, babe. I know today was scary but I'm not trucking around an agent everywhere I go. It's bad enough that we're going to be getting more attention with the baby and your new position at Georgetown. Flying under the radar is going to be near impossible, but having my own personal agent is over the top. In my line of work, I've dealt with crazier stuff then what happened today. Like I said, I think I was just a little more emotional because of the baby. I'll be fine. I promise."

"Liv..." He attempted to keep his voice even so that she would actually listen to what he was saying. "I respect you and your decisions. You're a grown woman and you've been independent for years. I get that. But I also get that it's my job to make sure you're safe. Before, when I offered the detail and you said no, I didn't push it. You wanted to keep a sense of normalcy, fine. I get that too. But our life is changing. We're having a baby." He paused because he could feel his emotions beginning to get the best of him. "Olivia, I'll be damned of anyone hurts either of you. You're getting a detail, and that's the end of that. You can kick and scream, you can complain about it every damn day for all I care. But you need someone to protect you from these vultures that prey on people like you. I shouldn't even have to _explain_ this to you. It's happening. Get over it."

She sat and looked at him, her eyes glossy and tired from the days events. He expected an argument from her and was ready to go all night to prove his point. But to his surprise they stared at one another in silence momentarily as she seemed to consider what he had just said. In a soft voice she responded,"Okay."

"Okay."He let out a huge sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Olivia went back to eating her salad and began flipping through a nearby newspaper that she hadn't finished reading earlier. Fitz just sat and watched her, waiting for the right second to bring up his next topic for discussion.

"We need to do an interview, Liv. A serious, sit down to just get all the stupid questions out of the way. People want to know. It's easier if we just do it, when we want, on our own terms. Either with a magazine, newspaper, or news station."

"No," she sounded emotionless, not even looking up from her salad to acknowledge his proposal. To her it wasn't even an option for them.

"The papers and shows have been harassing us for a while now. All they want is a formal sit down Liv."

"I. Said. No." She flipped to the next page in the newspaper still refusing to look up.

"Olivia, you're not even-"

"Fitz!" She threw down her fork onto her unfinished plate of food. "We always promised each other that we would keep us, you and me, for only us. You've admitted yourself that being in a relationship in the public eye makes everything harder. So **why in the** **hell** would we put ourselves out for the wolves? Because some newspaper figured out what grocery store I use? I'm not letting theses vultures pick away at us. So, no. No, I'm not doing an interview with you about our relationship, our life, or our baby. It's nobody's damn business."

His face and ears were flushed with redness as he sat stiffly and listened to her rejection. Olivia was in business mode now, but Fitz wouldn't stop without making his point.

"I know what I said Olivia! But if we do and interview, even one for a local newspaper, then at least we have a chance of being left alone. All people want is a quick inside look at what our life is like. We answer a few questions, take a few pictures, and we're good as gold. I feel like its our only option. It's only going to get worse the further along in your pregnancy you get. Jesus, Liv! You're a fixer for Christs sake! You've set up interviews like this for people hundreds of times. You could probably do it in your sleep!"

"Fitz, if we do a sit down interview, do you know what kind of questions we'll have to answer? Personal ones. Ones that other people have no business knowing about. It's been years since your presidency. I think that you've lived enough of your life in public. I don't do public. You're right, I've set up hundreds of interviews. But you know what? They're not about me. I don't do personal interviews. So, to answer your question, no. I'm not doing it."

"You need some time to think about it."

She shook her head no and pursed her lips as she looked down to the table.

"Hey," he called out to get her attention. She didn't look up. "Hey, look at me," he pleaded.

She looked up and stared at him blankly.

"Think about it."

Olivia stood up without responding and put her dirty dishes in the sink. She gathered a few folders of work from the table and picked up her iPad. He remained in his spot at the table. As she walked by him to exit not making eye contact he grabbed her wrist from his chair.

"I swear to god Olivia, if I get another phone call with you in tears like I did today,I'll kill somebody."

She didn't look at him as she proceeded to walk by him to leave the kitchen.

"I'm going to bed. Today's been long enough, I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Fitz didn't bother responding. He watched her leave the room and let out a sigh as he closed his eyes.

The next day they were each taking care of their personal work before their week got started. Olivia walked into the living room and stood directly in front where he was sitting.

"You're right."

Fitz stopped everything and stared at Olivia with a genuinely confused look on his face.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?"

"I'm serious Fitz. You were right yesterday."

"I'm going to need you to be a little more specific so I'm sure we're on the same page."

"We should do an interview. Together. Sooner rather than later. I want a sit-down with a D.C. newspaper or magazine. No more than three photos of the two of us. I want it to take place in a public setting, I don't care if we have to shut down an entire venue for a day. At any point of the interview, if I feel like it's headed in a bad direction I most definitely _will_ shut it down immediately," she looked at him with a serious face refusing to blink."But we can do it. Together. Okay?"

He walked over to her casually with a smirk on his face and his hands shoved in his pockets.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just love you is all." He snaked his arms around her waist and lowered his hands to rest on her back. His head dipped closely to her face as he began giving her sweet kisses against her slightly opened lips.

"I'm serious," she managed in between his soft kisses, "about the rules."

"I know." He didn't let up his slow displays of affection. Still planting deliberate yet soft pecks against her lips, chin, cheekbones, and neck, in no particular order. She stood still and tried to control her breathing as his lips seemed to say a thousand words without speaking one of them.

"I love you too."She reached up to cup his face. When he smiled she couldn't help but squeeze his cheeks.

"You're fortunate you're cute Grant."

"Now you're calling me cute? What happend to handsome? Sexy? A beast?"

"Well when you beg you're cute."

"Okay," he gave her one last quick peck on her lips. "I'll take it. Hey come here," he intertwined their fingers and led her over to the computer.

"I don't want to see any of your silly YouTube videos."

He pulled her down to sit on his lap.

"Everybody's a comedian," he bit his bottom lip and smirked as he tickled her. "No, Liv. I want you to look at the floor plan the contractor just emailed me."

"Wow!" She seemed surprised and Fitz was visibly proud that he had done something right."That was quick."

"Here's the kitchen," he pointed to the screen,"down in this part is the master bedroom. Right next door here is the nursery."

She sat there silently and speechless as he pointed out the floor plan. Her wide-eyed expression made Fitz slightly nervous.

"What's wrong? You're not saying anything. You always have something to say."

"Nothing. Nothings wrong. It's perfect Fitz. It's so...its just perfect," she squeezed her arms around his waist and nuzzled her face into his chest. "I can't believe we're having a baby," she mumbled dryly as she spoke into his T-shirt. "I can't believe we're having a house built." Her head lifted up to be level with his. Her eyes switched focus between his eyes and lips. "I can't believe we got married."

"I know what you mean. I can't believe we're married either. Maybe if somebody would've let us have an actual wedding then we'd believe it." His fingers playfully poked her sides making her giggle. She lifted her hands to hold his neck.

"After the baby, I promise we will have a real wedding and reception. Family, friends, music-"

"And cake?" He cut her off to ask that obviously important question.

"Yes, and plenty of cake."

"You know I'm just teasing about how we got married right?"

"I know."

"Getting married to you in front of a judge is all I need. All I care about is that you're my wife. When we do have a formal wedding, that'll just be me giving you a party for carrying our baby around for nine months."

"I think Im okay with that. But back to this house business."

"The real estate agent and contractor wanted us to meet with them this week. So I'm just emailing them our availability."

"Okay, let me grab my phone." She jumped up in one swift movement to head towards the bedroom.

"Hang on. Not so fast. I'm also emailing my publicist to scope out which interviews and magazines are the best for us."

"Okay. Well this is your thing. I trust you. Handle it."

"You don't want to be involved at all?"

"Fitz, I told you earlier, I'm only doing this for you. So, no, I don't want to be involved. Tell me when and where and I'll show up with a smile and maybe even a few nice things to say."

"Without an attitude, right?"

"I never have an attitude," she winked at him as she walked out of the room.

"Yeah, right," he mumbled under his breath.

"I heard that, Grant!"

**My fellow gladiators! It's been a while since I updated. The show has just been so good! But, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!** **You're reviews inspire me to write more, even when I may not feel like it. So feel free to leave a comment, anything is appreciated! Until next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Gladiators! It's been too long! I've had serious writers block. But I finally came up with a chapter I think you all will enjoy. Side note- How amazing are all of these Scandal Fanfics! They are definitely helping until the 21st rolls around. But, on to the story. Happy Reading!**

"Liv, I can handle it. Go home. Get some rest. Take it easy. Enjoy some time with El Presidente." Harrison was sitting in Olivia's office handing her the final report on their most recent case.

She sat at her desk putting on a front that she wasn't tired. But Harrison knew her all to well to ignore the fact that she could use some down time.

"El Presidente is out of town so I might as well be here with you guys."

"I thought his gig with Georgetown was supposed to keep him mostly local. Where's he at this time?"

"He had meetings with the Governor and his father in California. You know when Big Gerry summons you, you show up. Trust me, I wasn't happy about this trip."

"Well isn't his brother-in-law trying to make some moves after his time as Governor? It's kind of expected that the former President of the United States would get involved, no?"

"It wasn't just that. Look, don't worry about it. It's not a big deal."

"Gotcha. Well you know you're more than welcome to come over later if your lonely. Can't have my big sis and my unborn niece or nephew eating alone tonight."

"I'm sure your girlfriend wouldn't be too thrilled at the thought of your pregnant boss crashing your evening plans. Besides I have a conference call with Mellie's campaign manager."

"You're still helping with that, huh?"

"Barely. I chime in with a few suggestions. They only bug me once every few weeks. Fortunately she's had a smooth campaign so I've basically just been an extra set of ears. I don't even bother talking about it with Fitz."

"He really hates her doesn't he."

"According to him 'she was only good for two things, Jerry and Karen'," her voice mimicked Fitz'. "His words, not mine."

"Wow. Well, then at least go home and get some sleep after the call."

"You're too good to me Harrison," she paused a second as she leaned back in her chair and watched him stand before her. "You know Fitz is under the assumption that you'll be my number one guy here after we have the baby."

"Your number one? As in, I get your office? You don't plan on coming back to the firm after our mini Pope-Grant gets here do you?"

"I haven't figured that part out yet. Fitz wants me to stay true to myself, also his words. But I know a part of him wants me to be in mommy mode twenty-four-seven."

"And what do _you_ want?"

"I don't know what I want."

"Of course you know what you want."

"I really don't Harrison. I wish I did but I don't. This is all very new to me, you know that."

"Guess you have some thinking to do then, my dear."

"I concur." She's stood to her feet and pretended to shoo Harrison out of her office.

"Go, get out. Go home. Be with your girlfriend. As soon as I make this call I'm leaving too. Toms coming get me so I'll be fine."

"I wish I had a cool bodyguard to wait on me."

"It's not all its cracked up to be. One of the few downsides to being the modern day Mrs. Grant."

Harrison walked over to Olivia to give her belly a quick rub."I'll catch you next week Liv. Say hi to the Pres for me. Don't be too hard on him. He's a good guy."

"You're sipping on the Fitz kool-aid too huh?"

"I'm just saying..."

"Out. Go home." Harrison gave her his award-winning smile upon following her command. She winked at him before he turned to leave her office with his work bag in tow.

She sat thinking about what Harrison said. Her mind travelled back to the week prior when she found out he'd be out of town, again.

* * *

"I wash, you dry?"

"That works." She slapped his butt lightly as she walked by him in the kitchen to start drying the pots and pans. They had a perfect rhythm going as they worked to clean up. The music was playing and they gently swayed and sang along to the few lyrics that they remembered.

"So," Fitz interrupted, "not to ruin the mood but, the interview. I set it up. The end of the month on the 26th. I have it all arranged, the questions will be sent within the week."

"Okay. Just let me know when you have 'em."

"I will. And-"

"That's all I need to hear about it right now," she continued cleaning up.

"You don't want to know the magazine or interviewer?"

"Nope, not right now," she said cheerily. "Like you said I don't want to ruin my mood. I'll figure it out at some point."

"Okay, Liv." Fitz was suspicious about her seemingly careless front but he knew better than to force it.

"Babe, your phone is going off."

"Thanks," he looked down at the screen,"Liv turn the music down for a sec whole I grab this."

She lowered the speaker and continued drying as he leaned against a nearby counter on the phone.

"Hey Dad, no surprise getting a phone call from you today."

Fitz listened intently and didn't respond much.

"Yes, sir. Next week? What's the date of the first meeting?" He waited for a response.

"Uh-huh. Yes. Okay. Sure thing. See you then." He promptly hung up and jumped right back in the groove of cleaning up the kitchen and the remainder of the dishes as Olivia remained busy helping him.

"Looks like I'll be in California next week."

She didn't react much to the information but that didn't mean she didn't have an opinion about it.

"For how long?"

"They have meetings set up over a four day span, not including conference calls and one or two appearances. So I'm thinking at the most I'll be gone for five days."

"Cant you join some of the conference calls without flying all the way out to California? You were just in New York last weekend. I know that was for your charity but still..."

"I probably could. But Ken is lining up meetings. So in addition to the phone calls, they're going to want face to face contact. You know how this kinda thing goes." He casually explained himself without even looking up from washing the dishes.

"Don't forget we have the meeting with our contractor next week. We've had that planned twice and have had to push it back because of our schedules. We have got to look over the house if we ever plan on actually _living_ in it."

"If my memory serves me correctly we've had to reschedule twice because of _your_ schedule, not mine."

"Okay, but that doesn't change the fact that you're going out of town now. I'm not going to meet with the contractor by myself," she irritatingly assured him.

"You don't have to Liv," he tried to respond calmly to diffuse the obvious tension that was growing. "I'll call Zeke, we'll push it back two days. Not a big deal at all. He's a contractor, I'm sure he's used to it."

"I just...I thought we agreed to one out of town trip every few months. Not every few weeks."

"I know baby. I'm not exactly thrilled to go."

"You didn't really sound that upset just now when your dad called."

He stopped with his hands still in the sink but turned his attention to Livs direction.

"Listen, when my dad calls and tells me to show up somewhere, I show up. No questions. Not from me, or anyone else."

"Please don't justify the fact that your father makes a habit of ordering people around. You're a grown man, Fitz."

"That's not the point."

"And, by the way, next time you might want to, I don't know, consult your wife before agreeing to fly across the country for a weeklong trip."

"Olivia...c'mon. Stop it."

"Stop what, Fitz? Tell me I don't have a valid point." She had placed the dry towel down and crossed her arms above her growing stomach. Her neck was stiff as she raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes waiting for a response.

"Stop trying to start an argument. I'm not going to get upset, and seem like an asshole when I start yelling, and get you worked up. You're pregnant, we're having a nice evening, I really don't want a fight. Its not a big deal. We knew they'd be asking for my help. This isn't a surprise. So just turn it down a few notches, okay?"

"Fitz..."she focused on a random object across the room and took a slow deep breath, "I am absolutely not trying to start an argument. I simply would like to have an open discussion with my husband about how I'm feeling."

He immediately softened his demeanor and focused on her to give his undivided attention.

"Okay. I'm all ears. Talk to me Liv."

She pressed her lips together and shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head.

"You're going to think I'm being dramatic, I know you are. But I'm going to say it anyway. I think things are slowly going back to how it was when we broke up."

"Because of a trip to help my brother in laws campaign? Jesus, Liv. That's quite a jump don't you think?"

"No, I don't think that's a jump. This is how it started. You travelled, I travelled. We were completely satisfied with seeing each other here and there during the week and going wherever we needed to be the rest of the time. We never took a break to stop and talk. It was work, work, work, have welcome home sex, talk into the early morning, and then back to work."

"Stop right there," he walked over to her with a smirk on his face. His hands reached out to touch her stomach and rub her perfect bump."If my memory serves me correctly, our welcome home sex wasn't just something to toss to the wind."

"Fitz," she warningly expressed.

"I'm only mentioning how incredible in bed you are."

"I'm serious, Fitz."

"I know you are Liv. Trust me, I know," he stood in front of her looking her straight in her eyes as he raised his hands to gently graze the sides of her arms. "Yes, I've been working more than usual and sometimes traveling is a part of that. You and I are married, I'm completely in love with you, I am completely in love with our child, I can't wait for us to have this baby. There's no way we are ever going back to how it was before. That's in the past, Liv. It's me and you."

"I feel like that's what you say, but at the end of the day, you didn't even blink before saying yes to the California trip."

"You have a point, Mrs. Pope-Grant. Listen, Olivia," he lifted her chin up so that he could look in her eyes, "I am sorry." He kissed her lips gently and pressed their foreheads together.

"You are the most important person in my life. You're everything to me. Without you, who knows what kind of shambled mess my world would be. I should have talked to you before agreeing to help in California. No more trips for a while, I promise."

"Fitz. I just...I really want us to try and talk more. We don't always talk about our plans, let alone our feelings, and it just gets bottled up and then I get angry, and you get angry. It's too much. And it can be avoided if we just talk."

"I hear you," he looked down at her belly and slowly got on his knees in front of it."Did you hear your mommy? We're going to talk more, I hope we don't sound too boring lovebug." He kissed her stomach right against her belly button. Olivia smiled at the sight accepting the fact that she could never stay mad at this man for long.

* * *

It had been a few days into Fitz's trip to the west coast. She hasn't heard much from him, which was to be expected due to his busy schedule. Olivia sat on her couch planning her work for the following week. Her jacket was thrown on a nearby chair, her shoes kicked of under the coffee table, and she sipped on a large bottle of water. She had straightened her hair earlier before work so she wore it in a low ponytail to keep out of the way by the end of her day. As she proceeded with her work into the evening her cell phone rang. She immediately perked up at whose name flashed across her screen.

"Mister President. What a pleasant surprise."

He smiled at the sound of her voice."Hey beautiful."

Fitz stood in a quiet hallway outside of the conference room where he had been a part of meetings all week.

"I thought you were going to be stuck schmoozing the rich and famous politicians out there with your dad and Ken all day."

"I managed to sneak away for a few minutes. Wanted to hear your voice. I miss you Liv. How do you feel?"

She smiled to herself at his thoughtfulness. "I miss you too. And I've been feeling pretty good. A little nausea this afternoon but that passed quickly. My feet, on the other hand, are killing me." She leaned back in the couch to put her feet up on the armrest.

"Poor baby. Maybe you need to start wearing flats."

"Never. How's everything going with you?"

"I'm exhausted, honestly. We've been talking strategy for hours. They want help figuring out what Ken's next move is as Governor. It's a joke to me. Number one, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. If his family wasn't overflowing with money I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be able to find a supporter in the entire state. Number two, for some reason, they have it in their head that I enjoy being a consultant for them. I know it's only been five days but its getting old."

"Fitz, you did serve as a governor and a president before. Maybe, just maybe, they're under the assumption that you enjoy politics."

"Well before politics I'm a lawyer. I love the law. I happen to love people too, so yes, naturally, I turned to politics. But all of this talk with them about money, and funding, and lobbyists. It's exhausting. All I want to do right now is be laying in bed right next to you. Kissing and rubbing your belly."

"Mmmm. That would be nice right now. And I'm not saying that to try and make you feel bad. I'm just letting you know. I really, really miss you Fitz. A lot."

"Only one more day and I'm back to being all yours. I promise."

"I know. In the meantime, please don't let your father get the best of you. I really don't feel like flying across the country just to kick his ass."

He laughed to himself at her feisty nature.

"Don't worry. I know how to walk away now if he gets to be too much. Plus there's plenty of scotch here to get my mind off of this disaster of a plan."

"Fitz, don't joke like that. You know I don't like it."

"I know, I know. It was a stupid joke. I'm fine, really. It's just a lot has been going on over here."

Olivia sat by herself for a moment as she silently pictured him standing alone in some dark area of his office building.

"It must be weird to live so far from your family. And then when you see them it's all business and meetings."

"You have no idea. I'm not ashamed to admit this trip hasn't been easy for me. Its kicking my ass. My mind is just -"

"Has your father been-"

"It's not him Liv," he assuredly said in a quiet voice.

"If he's trying to put you down or make you feel bad you have every right-"she was cut off by Fitz again.

"Liv, no. It's not that." He exhaled deeply through his nostrils as he leaned his back against the wall."I wasn't going to tell you this until I got home. But I guess you'll find out either way."

Olivia sat back up in her chair waiting for him to explain.

"My mom, she...I don't want you to get upset so just listen to the whole thing."

"I won't get upset just tell me."

"She's sick right now. Really sick. Actually I guess sick is an understatement," he paused for a second. "She has cancer Liv. My mom has cancer."

Olivia slowly dropped her head in her hands and pinched the bridge of her nose as she processed the information.

Fitz began mumbling to himself as his thoughts trailed on."She uh..yeah, you know. So it's kind of tough over here right now." His voice began to sound weak over the phone as he strained to speak.

"Fitz, baby..I'm so sorry. I don't...I don't know what to say really. How is she? What's the prognosis?"

She knew that as he cleared his throat he was just trying to sound strong for her. "They've already started chemotherapy. She didn't want to alarm us in case it was "no big deal" as she simply put it. I don't know Liv. Call me crazy but she already looks like its taking a toll on her. I know she's putting up a front. I can tell. She's a fighter. I know she's going to give it all shes got. But it definitely hasn't been easy news for me to hear."

"Fitz..."

"Funny thing is, all she wants to talk about since I've arrived is the baby. And how she's already knit a million pairs of socks for her newest grandchild. You should hear her harass me about not finding out the sex of the baby."

"Honey, if you want to find out now, for her, I understand. No need to put it off when something like this happens."

"No Liv. That's not why I said that. Thats not...You and I both wanted a surprise. You know my moms going to kill me for even telling you anything."

"How was she planning on keeping this from me? I should've visited her by now."

"She doesn't want you to stress. She just wants to keep things quiet at least until the baby comes. Listen, I hate to do this but I gotta run. They're waving me down back in the conference room. I'll try and call you later. Okay?"

"Okay. Please take it easy Fitz. And send everyone my love."

"I will. This is my last conference call of the day I'm scheduled to sit in on. And then later I'll be preparing for tomorrow morning's last meeting before I head back east."

"Good," she yawned. "What time does your flight get in tomorrow?"

"Its the red eye. So technically not until the next morning. Hey, let me say goodnight to the baby."

Liv lowered the phone to her growing bump.

"It's over my stomach."

"Hi lovebug. Daddy misses you so much. I can't wait to get home and give you and mommy kisses. I love you." He gave air kisses into the phone causing Liv to grin at the sound. She raised the phone back up to her ear.

"I think somebody's homesick."

"Is it that obvious? Cant wait to be back with you two. But I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hang in there. Just one more 'll see you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you more. Bye Livvie."

* * *

The next evening Olivia had arrived to her front door with Tom in tow.

"Thank you Tom. I'll call you if I leave the house. But I'll probably stay in. Fitz gets in late, so don't worry if you don't hear from me."

"Understood, ma'am. Have a good evening."

"You too Tommy boy." Ever since Olivia began keeping a detail she tried to make light of the situation.

As she walked into the house she was shocked to find Fitz standing before her in his dress shirt and suit pants. He looked tired but handsome as ever. She froze in place as he smiled and walked towards her.

"Fitz? How did you-" before she knew it he was hugging her like his life depended on it.

"I jumped on an earlier flight. I was feigning for you Liv." He dropped his head to her neck and pressed his face into her warm skin."I missed you too much."

"Me too babe." She leaned back to get a look at him and lightly scratch his jaw line. He looked like he was in heaven as he stared at every part of her.

"Your hair is straight."

"Yeah. I got bored while you were gone so I had time to straighten it."

"Looks sexy," he said in a sultry voice as his hands dropped to her stomach,"And your bump's grown."

"Fitz it's only been six days."

"I'm serious. It's bigger!"

"Whatever you say." She looked up at him with a special glimmer in her eyes as they gazed at one another in their living room. "I missed you. I don't know how we used to go weeks without being alone together. I can't even go a full day without wanting to touch you or hold you. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true," she said.

"Well if that's crazy then that makes two of us because I feel the exact,"he kissed her cheek,"same,"another on her chin,"way,"one more against her neck.

They stood and held each other in silence.

"I have a surprise for you."

"Is it a foot massage? My ankles are swollen. Very sexy, I know."

"I am more than happy to rub your swollen ankles. But that's not the exact surprise I had in mind. Follow me, my lady." He intertwined their fingers as he led her towards their bathroom. Clearly he had been home long enough to make a cute setup in the main bathroom The room had numerous candles lit, all different sizes and placed tastefully to keep the lighting warm. The tub was full of rose petals. Fitz walked over to turn the faucet on and began filling it with warm water and a few squeezes of liquid for bubbles. Throughout his preparation Olivia stood with her work suit still on as she leaned against the door frame with a wide smile on her face.

"I'm impressed Grant," she nodded.

"Yeah? I just wanted to have a nice quiet evening back. I figured since you love bubble baths and we haven't taken one together in forever, tonight would be a good refresher."

He stood up and walked over to her as the tub began to fill. He leaned down to give her a sweet kiss and whispered against her lips.

"Take off your clothes."

They both slowly undressed. Neither of them taking their eyes off one another.

"From the looks of it, you're not going to last during a simple quiet bath." She gave him a charming smile as her eyes briefly dropped to his hardening member.

"Don't mind me. It seems to have a mind of its own around you."

He grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the large bathtub as he helped her get in. As she sat he placed himself behind her with her back leaning against his chest. She let out a shallow sigh as he began rubbing her shoulders.

"This feels amazing," She mumbled lazily. Her head rolled to the side to give him better access to rub her neck.

"How's that?"

"Babe. Your hands are...I can't even...Just...don't stop." She was enjoying every second of being in the water with him as his large hands kneaded her flesh around the base of her neck, in between her shoulder blades, and back up. After what felt like hours of him tending to her she gently grabbed his hands and lowered them to rest on her belly under water.

"Let's just sit here. I feel bad making you put in so much work."

His mouth was right next to her ear.

"It's not work Liv. Let me take care of you."

His right hand remained rested on the side of her belly as his left hand lowered to her thigh. She could feel him inching it slowly in between her legs.

"Fitz..."

"We're sitting in a candle lit room, in a warm bubble bath filled with rose petals. Are you really going to deny a simple act like touching my beloved wife in an intimate way?"

All she could do was relax, close her eyes, and nod her head.

His left hand rubbed the top of her left thigh. She leaned back against his chest and enjoyed the extra attention as his fingers slyly made their way to her center. He rubbed her slowly with three fingers, giving her her own special massage. She arched her back and pushed the back of her head into Fitz's chest.

"How's that?" He asked in a deep soothing voice.

She lowered her left hand to join his.

"Have I lost my touch?" He teased her.

"No baby. It's just-"

"Shhhh." He whispered as he kissed the back of her neck sensually and spoke into her skin. His hot breath elevating her arousal. "I like it when u help."

Her mind was cloudy and her breathing labored. He had inserted two fingers in her and everything about it felt right. Her small hand now held onto his wrist as he hooked his fingers inside her and stretched them in between her tight walls.

"God Fitz," she mumbled drowsily.

Her hips began grinding against his hand as she moaned in pleasure. Fitz loved giving her body the much needed attention. He was more than turned on with her sitting in front of him like this and the devilish grin he wore proved it. His hard cock pressing into her felt even better as she rubbed her firm back against it. She reached her right hand behind her to grab onto it but Fitz stopped her.

"Fitz..."she whined.

"No, Livvie. Just enjoy this." He kissed the top of her shoulder and bit lightly. Her caramel skin was soft, sensitive, and tasted like the bubbles and roses that floated around them in the water. He began whispering in her ear as he tried to make her climax.

"While I was away, this is exactly what I pictured." His fingers were completely emerged inside her and his thumb was now deeply rubbing her clit. Liv let out a gasp and Fitz growled lowly.

"Mmm baby. Is it that good?"

"Don't stop." Her right hand reached up behind his head and began trailing her nails against his scalp. The deeper his fingers travelled insider her, the deeper she clawed through his hair.

"I love you," his warm breath trailed against her ear as his tongue teased her soft lobe. Olivia could only moan in response. He could tell she was close.

"Almost," she whined.

Knowing she was close to her climax he lowered his mouth to the side of her neck and gently bit. He kissed the area lightly and bit again deeper while simultaneously pushing his fingers in her warmth as far as she could take. Her back arched quickly against his body as she came.

"Dammit Fitz." Olivia's hands squeezed him as her entire body stiffened and soon fell limp against his. He rubbed her thighs to relax her as he peppered kisses along her shoulders and back.

"God, I missed you," he lowly mumbled against her back.

She laughed quietly,"Yeah, I can tell."

"Seriously, I missed you. My day isn't the same unless I wake up next to you or at least get to see and hold you. There's nothing like being with my family. My wife, my kids... The older I get the more I realize how important family is. It's everything. It's..." He fell silent and Liv could feel his body language change. The only reason Olivia could think of was that his mind went to his mother.

"Hey," she tilted her head around to look at him. He gave her a forced smile. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Nope. Lets get you out of here. The waters getting cold and I want to jump in bed. That was the other place I was dying to be."

She didn't want to push but this was the exact thing she was talking about the week prior. Getting him to talk openly about his mothers illness was going to be a task. She just hoped that he would understand the need to express his feelings without shutting her out. Olivia knew she'd have her work cut out for her. But there's nothing she wouldn't do to make sure her husband was alright.

**So I hope you guys enjoyed this addition to the story! Let me know what you think! Any specific story lines you'd like me to tell for focus on feel free to let me know. You can always PM me. Either way I plan on another update within the week. We'll see. Shoot and a review if you don't mind! Until next time...;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Gladiators! Here's the next chapter. Thank you so much for the reviews on the previous one. I took them into consideration when deciding the direction to take this one in. This is a long one, but I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading!**

The bedroom was barely lit by the rising sun that peeked through their curtains. The cream colored material allowed just enough sunlight to begin waking Olivia up from her slumber. During her pregnancy she had grown accustomed to sleeping on her right side. She hated sleeping in this position, accepting that the only good part was waking up while facing Fitz's handsome face every morning. She slightly rustled under the comforter as she began to wake.

"I can feel you staring at me," she mumbled.

Fitz snickered quietly at her emotionless statement as he watched her.

"You make me sound like a stalker," he said with a smirk on his face.

She slowly peeked at him through one squinted eye and gave a weak smile.

"Morning." Her voice was groggy and lacked enthusiasm.

"Good morning, grumpy." He inched over to kiss the top of her forehead.

"Sorry," she slowly repositioned to lay on her back and let out a heavy exhalation through her nose. "What time is it? Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"It's 5 am. And yes, I should be getting dressed right about now but I took off today."

She turned her head without moving the rest of her body and looked at him with her eyebrows bunched and her face confused.

"Since when do you take off? The only person who's more of a workaholic than me, is you."

He sat up on his elbows and smiled at her.

"This is true. But I took off. And, dont be mad, but you took off too."

"What are you talking about."

"Well, technically I took off for you."

Olivia rolled on her side to get out of the bed, ignoring his statement and attempting to stand up and stretch. She was moving quite slow but knew that she had to get her day started.

"That's sweet, Fitz," she said while yawning, "but I can't. Not today. My client has court next week and we have prep starting today."

"I know. I spoke to Harrison. He's got it all taken care of."

"What do you mean you spoke to Harrison?"

"I spoke. To Harrison."

"About?"

"I arranged for you to have a long weekend. I ran it by everyone in your office. I told them I wanted to surprise you and they were more than happy to help out."

"A long weekend?"

"Yup."

She stood for a minute to watch him, placing her hands on her hips, waiting to see if he would give any signs of this being a joke.

"So _that's_ why you were trying to butter me up last night," she said suspiciously. "The dinner you cooked, the foot massage, your little shower-time...you were setting me up so I can't be mad at you for making me take off work."

"There might be some truth to that."

"Or you're trying to butter me up for the interview next week."

"I'm shocked that you think so little of me Livvie."

She gave him a stern look. One that was harsh enough to make a nun look soft.

"Okay. There may be some truth to that too."

"Fitz..."

"Hey. We need some down time. Look at you. You're exhausted. And the kids haven't seen you in months. Skype doesn't count. So, I figure a few days with them, a few with just the two, I mean three, of us. It would be good."

"The kids are coming here?"

"We're meeting them there."

"Where's there?"

"Can you just come back in bed and lay with me for a minute?"

Fitz reached an arm out to her across the bed and gave his best pouting face. He knew that she couldn't resist much when he did that.

"If I wasn't pregnant you know I'd be pissed. I'm too tired to argue." She climbed back in bed to snuggle next to him. They met in the middle of the mattress and wrapped their arms around one another, Olivia burying her head in his chest.

"So tell me your master plan."

"I rented a house in the Outer Banks. The first two days it'll be me, you, and the kids. And then Jerry and Karen are heading home so we'll have the house to ourselves the last two days."

She lifted her head up to look at him.

"Impressed?"

"I am."

"I also may have gotten my hands on a jet to fly us there."

"You're the only man that casually mentions getting his hands on a jet, Fitz."

He could only laugh at her statement recognizing her to be right.

"I know you typically prefer me I act as if my family doesn't have resources like planes and vacation homes-"

"Stop right there. You know that's not true. I just don't see the point in having an obnoxious, privileged lifestyle. But, I don't even want to think of how many bathroom breaks we'd have to take if we decided to drive so a private flight works. This time."

As they spoke about the plans for the trip Olivia became more relaxed about the idea. And she was genuinely excited to see Jerry and Karen. Fitz was nothing but happy when they had the kids with them, so she knew it would be a great, relaxing weekend.

Later in the day, after packing a few items, they headed for the airport with their driver and Tom in tow. It wasn't a long trip and Liv was grateful for the convenience of a private flight. Karen and Jerry met them as they landed, waiting with the private SUV Fitz had arranged to use during their weekend. They made the most of their first day at the vacation house, relaxing by the pool and grilling on the deck. Karen couldn't help but gush over Olivia's pronounced stomach every time they were in a room together. The property had a tennis and basketball court on it so Fitz and Jerry took advantage of that as much as possible.

On the second day of the trip Fitz and Olivia managed to steal a moment alone as they stood together in the living room. The large windows gave the perfect view of the ocean. They stood together, her head leaning back to rest on his chest, watching the waves crash. Olivia had her loose curls up in a messy bun and her bangs pinned back out of her face. She was in her typical strapless maxi dress, the only outfit she didn't mind wearing all day every day on their trip. Fitz was dressed in a well-fit blue polo shirt and pressed khaki pants as he waited for Jerry to go play a round of golf.

He placed gentle kisses on her soft skin in between her neck and shoulder. Olivia sighed at his touch, feeling genuinely relaxed.

"Thank you for this weekend. This is nice."

"You needed a break. And we needed some family time. It's as simple as that."

She reached behind her up to his head and lightly ran her hand through his thick curls.

"Mmmmm. I love it when you do that Liv."

"Well I love it when you do that." She looked down to her thighs where his hands were deeply rubbing her.

"Oh really? I had no idea," he mumbled sarcastically as he buried his face in her neck. His hands moved to her hips as he pulled her into his body even closer."Mmmm. Can I just say, your ass is fantastic."

She smirked at his statement and closed her eyes while they enjoyed their closeness. It was short lived though as Jerry quickly made his presence known.

"Dad! Are we heading to the driving range or what?!" Jerry barged into the living room and stopped in his tracks when he saw Olivia wrapped in Fitz's arms.

"Oh. Man," he sheepishly slowed down his pace, "Sorry guys. Didn't mean to interrupt. I'll just-" he started backing out of the room but Fitz spoke up to stop him.

"Jer, you act like you've never seen us kiss before. I'm ready to leave whenever you are."

"Okay cool. Sorry guys."

Olivia pulled away from Fitz to give him a look from the side of her eye.

"Jerry it's fine. Your dad gets a little mushy every once in a while," she playfully pushed Fitz in his arm.

"As it would seem," Fitz smiled at Olivia and turned his attention to Jerry."Jer, let me grab my clubs upstairs and we'll head out."

Fitz ran up the stairs leaving Olivia in the room with Jerry. She was grabbing a book to read as she headed to the deck to relax with Karen.

"Take it easy on your dad, Jerry. You know he gets competitive."

"Ha! Will do. We'll be back by dinner." Jerry whisked over to Liv, kissed her on her cheek, and grabbed his sports bag to wait for his dad outside.

"Fitz!" Olivia yelled from the bottom of the stairs. She didn't have the energy to climb them.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to lay on the deck with Karen. Text us when you're on your way home and we'll start the grill."

"Okay baby. I love you. Have fun."

"You too."

Both Olivia and Karen loved a good book so it was no surprise that they sat in silence together on the deck while reading. Time passed and felt like hours as they both got lost in their stories, enjoying the sunshine and sounds of the ocean. Karen was the first to lower her book and give her eyes a rest.

"How's the baby?" She lifted her sunglasses to meet Olivia's eyes. Following Karen's lead she, too, closed her book and placed it to the side.

"It seems to think my bladder is its own personal couch. But other than that," She widened her eyes and gave a goofy smile causing Karen to laugh.

"You know, pregnancy looks good on you Liv."

"Did your dad put you up to that compliment? He insists that my body doesn't look as deformed as it feels."

"I'm serious. You look good. At least you know what to expect for your next one."

"My next one?" Olivia couldn't fathom the concept of having another baby, at least anytime soon. "I haven't even popped this one out yet."

"I'm sure you guys will have more. I hope you guys have more. The baby's gonna have me and Jer but I'm sure she'll want a playmate too."

"She?"

"Yeah. I think it's a girl. It's definitely a girl."

"Funny. Jerry told me this morning it's definitely a boy."

"Well, of course I'm right and he's wrong." Karen playfully rolled her eyes and Olivia laughed. She was always amazed at how much she looked like Mellie but acted nothing like her.

"Enough about me and the baby. Tell me about you. How's life? Any new guys?"

"Yeah, a few."

"Karen Grant...I hope you don't say that when your dads around. He'll have a cow."

"I'm just having fun Liv. Nothing serious."

"I can appreciate that. You're being responsible about it right?"

"Yes, mom," she replied dutifully.

"I'm serious Karen. There are so many things that can happen that will change your life forever. You have a right to be young and explore life but you also need to be responsible."

"I know, Liv. Trust me, there's nothing serious."

"Okay. You know you can always talk to me about that kind of thing. Your secret is safe with me."

"I know that. You've always been my go-to for that kind of thing."

"Speaking of which, I hear you have a new tattoo."

"I'm going to kill my brother."

"In his defense, it kind of was an accident. He told me he was thinking of getting one and when I told him about my almost-tattoo experience he let it slip that you got one."

"You have a tattoo?"

"I said almost. It was silly. Of course it involved me being upset at your dad. Abby had taken me out to lick my wounds. And after multiple margaritas and one too many tequila shots we found ourselves at a dingy tattoo parlor in northeast DC."

"What?! Liv! Are you serious?!" Karen's long legs were on the edge of her chair as she leaned forward to get the scoop.

"I'm not proud. But yes. I'm serious."

"Olivia Pope-Grant. I would have never imagined you even being close to drunk, let alone crying over a guy. And the the tattoo thing...I just can't even fathom this is true."

"Sometimes I can't believe it either Kare. Your dad has had me about to lose my mind on a few occasions. This was the most embarrassing one, though."

"Do tell, please."

_They stood in a tattoo parlor across the street from the bar they just raided. It was still early in the night but it felt later because of when they began their festivities. Both of them had one too many drinks, their usually well kept professional clothes looked wrinkled and sloppy, and their speech left much to be desired. As they perused the binder of tattoo options, Olivia continued the rant she had been giving for the last few hours. _

_"Abby! I'm not the one that's at fault here! He is!"_

_"Okay, Liv. Lets say that's the truth, one hundred percent. You're right, he's wrong. You still shouldn't get a tattoo that says "screw you" on your ass."_

_"He sent me a card on our first real anniversary. A card! Signed, might I add, by his assistant. I've seen his signature! I've studied it. I've watched him sign things a million and one times. I know what it looks like. So, not only is he out of town at some stupid charity event this week, but then he thought he'd send me a card? A card?! Not even a real present? He deserved every bit of what I said to him after thinking that-"_

_"O-livia. Listen." Abby took the binder out of Liv's hands and grabbed hers tightly making sure to lock eyes."Men are dogs. They're worse than dogs. They're pigs. They use you, and get back to you when it's convenient. The sooner you learn that, the better you are."_

_"But, Abby," she sloppily walked outside to the cool autumn air and leaned against the side of the brick building. Her voice was sad and whiny as she breathed heavily, full of emotion, and tired from her previous rant. She was hitting the next stage of drunkenness- emotional breakdown. Her words slurred and slowed as she continued her emotional speech. "I love him. I'm in love with him. I love him, like, so much. And I love being with him. And I love how he smells. And I love how he looks at me. And I love how he touches me."_

_"Liv-"_

_"And I love the way he wakes up with his perfect eyes and that handsome smirk on his face -"_

_"Liv-"_

_"And I love standing next to him. And his hair...god I love his hair..."_

_"Olivia! Stop!"_

_"What?!" Clearly Liv was irritated at the interruption._

_"He's calling you." Abby pointed to Liv's hand that was holding her cell. As soon as she saw his name on her screen she discarded her sensitive attitude and switched back to being angry._

_"What is it?" Her tone of voice as she answered the call sounded as if she would spit fire if she could._

_"Where are you Liv?"_

_"What does it matter to you?"_

_"I'm standing inside of your apartment listening to your hate voicemail. So where are you?"_

_"You're inside my apartment? What?"_

_"The card was a joke! I came back early to surprise you and I just listened to one message where you're telling me to go screw myself. And the second message where you're crying...so I know you're somewhere drinking because you only cry after you've been drinking..back to my question. Where are you? I'll come pick you up."_

_Olivia sobered up quickly putting her hand over the speaker of her phone. She began whispering to Abby._

_"He surprised me," she stomped her foot in frustration still whispering so he couldn't hear her conversation on the other end of the phone. "Oh my god. You have to take me back to my apartment. Now."_

_"What? He's here? In DC? In your apartment?"_

_"Shit! I knew I shouldn't have left a voicemail..."_

_"You know I can still hear you Olivia," Fitz said plainly._

_"Babe, I'm so sorry. I just...that card wasn't funny dammit!" She planted her flat palm on her forehead realizing what an idiot she looked like. "I'm with Abby. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Don't move."_

"That's hilarious! My story isn't half as good as that. And I actually went through with mine."

"What'd you get?"

Karen lifted her shirt slightly to show Olivia her hip where a small Asian inspired tattoo was placed.

"Just a small one. It's the sign for love."

"That's pretty, Karen. And tastefully done."

"Thanks. I want another one. For my grandmother. I haven't decided what exactly though."

"How was she when you were in California last week?"

"Okay. She's weak. Just really tired. I could only stay for three days but it was good to just be there."

"I'm sure she appreciated it."

"Yeah...hey are you hungry?" Karen picked up her book to head back inside the house. "We should probably start dinner before Dad and Jer get back."

It didn't go unnoticed by Olivia that Karen wasn't completely comfortable talking about her grandmothers illness. But she didn't see the need to push the subject. It was the kids' last night at the house and they had an early flight the next morning so she wanted nothing but positive memories.

"Sounds good. I'll meet you inside in a bit."

As they boys came back from golf the family enjoyed dinner outside. It was perfect weather with just enough breeze to keep them cool. The kids said their goodbyes after dinner before heading to bed because they didn't want to wake Liv and Fitz early the next morning.

* * *

It was officially the weekend now and just the two of them in the house. Fitz woke to a rustling in their bedroom closet. He knew it was early from the barely lit sky he noticed through the top of window.

"Livvie, the sun isn't even up yet. What are you doing?" He asked as he laid in the bed and rubbed his eyes.

"Shhhh. I'm coming back to bed in a second."

He opened his eyes to see her small frame grabbing a tote bag from the closet. She walked back over to the bed and slid on top of the comforters, sitting with her back against the headboard. She looked down at Fitz and smiled as she scrunched her nose.

"I have a surprise," she whispered.

"Why are we whispering?" He mocked her sleepily.

"We are whispering because, like you said, it's early. Back to my surprise, actually it's from me and the baby."

"Okay. You have my attention." He sat up so he was shoulder to shoulder with her in the bed. She reached into the bag and took out a small contraption.

"Is this some freaky sex machine? I'm thinking the baby doesn't-"

"Fitz," she cut him off,"you're a mess, first of all. Second of all, no. It's a fetal heart monitor."

A wide smile beamed across his face as he looked at her in her eyes.

"Yeah?! So we can..." He motioned his hands rapidly between the small monitor and her baby bump.

"Hear the heartbeat. Right now. Cool, right?"

He raised a hand to wrap around her shoulders and pulled her close to him as he kissed her temple.

"Thats amazing. How does it work? Hook me up."

"I'm trying, I'm trying," she laughed as she fumbled with the cords. After a few minutes of her double checking the instructions she searched around low on her abdomen with the flat top of the metal head. Within seconds of searching they were listening to the rapid heartbeat of their new addition. It was as if the whole world stopped the moment they heard the flutter.

He sat in silence and smiled as he closed his eyes. Olivia watched him knowing that this was the perfect surprise. He was perfectly content just sitting their listening to the heartbeat of his child. Their child. That they made together. With love. As she looked on at him he peeked his eyes open and gave her a look. He was clearly happy but had a sense of sadness. The longer they stared at each other the more anguish filled his face. She raised her hand to cup the side of his face rubbing his cheek with her thumb.

"Fitz, baby?"

"I'm good. This is beautiful Liv. Thank you so much," he slightly turned his head to face the inside of her palm and kissed it sweetly. His eyes were closed and Olivia knew exactly why he was struggling with his emotions.

"Hey, look at me," her hand lowered to his chin and lifted it so they were eye level. His grey eyes had tears in them, just short of flowing over onto his face. "Hey. It's just me. Talk to me."

He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He lowered his face and looked down as his jaw tightened. His words were barely audible but when he spoke all she could hear was,"my mom."

Her heart broke for him in that moment. She herself wasn't close with her mother, but she knew the pain of losing a parent after her father died. Olivia didn't know the right thing to say. All she knew was that she wanted to be supportive.

"She's a fighter, Fitz," Olivia nodded as she made that statement. "Your moms going to fight it, and she's going to hold our little lovebug, and it's going to be great."

Fitz couldn't hold back the tears any longer as they discreetly slid from his eyes. He muffled the sound from his throat and attempted to clear his voice.

"I'm sorry Liv. This is good. I'm happy. I just-"

"Don't be sorry Fitz. I understand," she assured him. "I do."

"Im listening to this sound. This beautiful sound, this beautiful heartbeat. I have you as my wife, carrying my child. I have two healthy kids who love you just as much as I do. Everything finally feels right, you know. I should feel nothing except happiness. I just cant help but to think about the fact that my mother is across the country fighting for her life. I hate that thought. I hate the thought that my children with you might not ever know my mom. Really know her. It's...she's my mom Liv. She's sick and I can't even help her."

"I know." She kissed his jaw and motioned for him to lay his head in her lap. He made himself comfortable as he held onto her waist as her hands ran through his thick hair. "I'm here. If you need anything. Or to just talk. I love you and I'm here" She could feel his body relax against hers as she spoke. He laid his head against her legs feeling calmed by the lazy patterns of Olivia's fingers in his hair and against his scalp.

"I think it's a boy. The heartbeat, just now when I heard it, I pictured a boy," He stated nonchalantly.

"Really? I think it's a girl. Karen thinks its a girl, too."

"A girl? Are you trying to kill me? Imagine all the guys I'll have to beat off her."

"It won't be that bad."

"Yeah right. If she looks and acts anything like you, we're in trouble. Could you imagine our daughter?" He lightly laughed to himself. "Curly hair, big brown eyes, your lips, creamy brown skin. Just like you."

"You have some pretty strong genes Grant. I think she'll have your color hair. I do hope she doesn't get your nose," she teased to further lighten the mood.

He leisurely sat up to be next to her again against the headboard.

"Liv, how did I get lucky enough to end up with you?"

She grabbed his hand to hold it in hers.

"It started many, many moons ago with you stalking me as your campaign fixer."

"Me? Stalking you? I don't remember any complaints during our little rendezvous. More moaning than anything else," he joked. Their hands fit together perfectly as their fingers locked within one anothers. Olivia turned her face to look at him, admiring his handsome profile.

"I couldn't help falling in love with you. I'm the lucky one Fitz. Without a doubt." She leaned over to nuzzle under his arm and into the side of his chest. "You know, we need to start seriously picking some names."

"I have a few. Lets just sit here for a while and not think. We can talk about that on the way home, if that's okay."

They sat silently together and fell asleep again, allowing themselves one day of laziness before they returned home. The most they exerted themselves was a walk along the beach at sunset.

By the time the next day rolled around, they were gathering their belongings to get back to Washington.

"So," Liv let the word linger on her lips as she pretended to be busy fixing the pillows on the couch. Fitz was close by picking up a few of their belongings that needed to be packed.

"So, what?" He wasn't sure what was on her mind but he knew to expect an earful.

"The interview this week. Are you excited?"

"Kind of. You know I love any chance to flaunt you." He looked up to flash a smile.

"I know."

"Thank you for doing it with me Liv. I know this is taking a lot of sacrifice on your part."

"I think it'll be good for us. Kind of a coming out."

"A coming out," he arched an eyebrow and had a goofy look plastered on his face. "I've been divorced for years, you and I have been together for forever, we're a few months away from having our first baby, and this is a coming out? I think your timing is a little off Liv."

"Well, you know what I mean."

"Whatever you mean, thank you for trusting me enough to do this the right way. I think you'll be surprised with the outcome."

"We'll see. You know you owe me for agreeing to do this."

"I figured as much. So what do you want?"

"I haven't decided yet. But when I do, I'm sure it'll be something good." She bit her bottom lip teasingly and gave Fitz a sultry look. His body immediately responded to her as he walked towards her and pulled her into him from behind.

"Oh, I'm sure it will."

**A/N- Thanks for reading! What'd you think? I hope it was an enjoyable chapter for ya;) Next stop, the interview! As always, please feel free to leave me a review! **


	15. Chapter 15

"You look perfect. This is going to be great. I promise." Fitz had placed himself next to Liv and gently rubbed the back of her neck as he kissed the side of her head.

"You okay? You seem nervous."

"Me? I'm fine. You okay?"

"I'm fine. I feel like a cow sitting on this couch but other than that I'm fine."

Kimberly Mitchell entered the room adding an energy to the atmosphere that only she could bring. She quickly placed herself in the single chair seated across from them, in between the camera lights and rest of the set-up.

"You two look great. Baby on the way, glowing smiles. How do you feel Olivia?"

"I feel better than I thought I would. More than excited to finally meet our little one but I've had a decent pregnancy so I can't complain."

"Super! So the interview! I'll ask the questions that I had forwarded to you yesterday. My camera guy will only record the first half and then the rest will only be audio. Since this will be featured as the cover article in The Washington Buzz we only need a few video clips to promote the interview during local news shows. Any questions?"

Fitz and Olivia looked at each other and gave a reassuring glance before responding. He answered on behalf of both of them.

"I don't think so. Lets get this thing going."

KM: Okay, you two. So people are dying to know a few inside details to your relationship. Mr. President, you've been married before. You have two great kids that America had the chance to watch grow up in the White House. What's different this time around.

FG: First of all Kimberly, feel free to call me Fitz.

KM: I appreciate the offer, but I cant help but call you Mr. President.

FG: Understood. Well, Kimberly, to answer your question, It's definitely different not being in the public eye as much. I get to enjoy more time with my wife. Don't get me wrong, we're both incredibly busy and still have parts of our lives that can't be ignored, but our lifestyle lends itself to finding time for one another. And we'll continue to keep that same priority when the baby arrives.

KM: Just one mention of the baby and your face lights up like a Christmas tree!

FG: I can't help it. I'm so blessed to have two amazing kids. And now to add another one to the family, with this incredible woman by my side is...it's more than I could have ever asked for.

KM: Olivia, I'm sure you're just as excited. What was it like when you all found out? Was it planned?

OPG: When we found out we were actually visiting family in California. I was in complete shock, but it was one of the best surprises. Initially I was quite nervous, but I'm fortunate to have this guy to keep me sane. As he mentioned earlier, this is a blessing. My pregnancy has been fairly easy and again, we just can't wait to meet our little one.

KM: No news on the sex of the baby?

FG: We've decided to keep that a surprise for the birth.

KM: Gotcha. Any cravings Olivia? You've always been petite. I can't imagine you've been eating anything too crazy.

OPG: (turns to look at FG) I haven't had any crazy cravings right?

FG: (laughs) I'm keeping my mouth shut on this one.

OPG: (laughs) I do admit I've had a few instances where I stop dead in my tracks and need a certain type of food ASAP.

KM: Like what?

OPG: Lets see...a few weeks ago I had a sudden urge to eat bacon and peanut butter cupcakes.

FG: She forgot to mention that she was craving them at the same time.

KM: Peanut Butter cupcakes and bacon?

FG: Yup. And I was the guy in the middle of the night trying to get her these two random food items.

OPG: Honey, I told you that you didn't have to get it.

FG: If my pregnant wife is craving peanut butter and bacon then that's what she's going to get.

(Everyone laughs)

KM: I'm picturing the former President of the United States in the kitchen-

FG: At 3 in the morning, cooking bacon, and looking up on google the fastest way to make peanut butter icing for a chocolate cupcake. It was a sight.

OPG: I told him he didn't have to. But I will say, I fell in love with him all over again when he came to the bedroom and hour later with a plate full of bacon and cupcakes.

KM: You two are just too adorable together. Can you tell us about the wedding?

OPG: We had a very simple ceremony.

FG: With plans for a bigger one after the baby comes.

KM: I would think so. The Grant Family is widely known for their extravagant galas and parties.

FG: Its true, my family does have that reputation. But, it's always been important for Liv and I to have our own traditions as a family. That's also why we keep such a low profile. My wife said it best when she reminded me that I've lived so much of my life in the public eye. First as I entered politics in California, as governor, and more recently as President. Being a younger politician definitely kept me in the public eye more than most in that position and I never really minded , now my life is different. Where it was a part of the job for me to see people and be seen, now it's more important to both of us to devote as much time as possible to one another. We understand that we can't completely get away with flying under the radar, especially still living in DC. But we do try to keep a low profile and just enjoy our life together. To live our lives and still contribute to this great city, and really, this great country, while still devoting our energy to growing together as a couple and, now, as a family.

KM: Spoken like a true politician. Well said, Mr. President. I'm sure you share the same sentiments

Olivia.

OPG:(looks to FG and smiles) Of course he took the words right out of my mouth. But it's true. Our focus has always been to remember that at the end of the day we are devoted to each other. And spending time together is a major part of that. We love being able to go for walks, or runs and not worrying about being stopped or photographed.

FG: I walk, she runs.

OPG: Honey, you run with me sometimes, before this little one, of course.(she rubs her belly and gives him a knowing look)

FG: (tilts his head slowly in agreement) Sometimes...

OPG: Or even if we are out and about...

KM: Yes. Everyone knows the two of you are very well known on the art scene in the city. Olivia, you've been close friends with the Ellerbe family for quite some time now.

OPG: This is true. They're amazing people and Fitz and I consider them very close friends of ours.

KM: And not only that but you two are always seen at local fundraisers, the hottest restaurants...

FG: We both love to explore. So you can be sure that we'll pop up at anything that's new and exciting throughout the city.

KM: I'm sure some of that will change with the arrival of the newest Grant.

OPG: We'll see. We want our kids to be open to new experiences. It's an amazing world that we live in. So many people to meet and so many places to explore. Fitz and I can't wait to see the world through a whole new set of eyes.

KM: Now, Olivia, you just said kids, as in plural. So either you have more than one bun in the oven or you both plan on having more in the future.

(both laugh)

FG: As far as we know, there's only one little lovebug in there. And the idea of more kids? We'll see...

OPG: Oh really, Mr. President?

FG: If it were up to me we'd make enough kids to have our own band...a modern day Jackson Five.

(Everyone laughs)

OPG: You must be thinking about your next wife.

FG: Ouch!

OPG: Kidding. I'm kidding.

KM: You guys are so cute and playful together.

FG: We get pretty silly together. But in all seriousness, as long as we have each other, healthy family, that's all that matters to me. Liv is the love of my life. What more could a man ask for?

KM: The love of your life. That's a strong statement. Was there one moment in particular that made you come to this conclusion?

OPG: I'm interested to hear this answer.

FG: One moment? Not really. You have to remember I've know Olivia for years and years now. As my marriage was coming to a close I asked myself 'what do I want'? My answer was probably the same as any man going through a tough time. You want support, and love, an understanding. And someone who isn't afraid to kick your ass in gear if need be. And I have that in my wife. Olivia knows me. She sees me on a different level than most people. And because of that we have a bond and a union that I feel, in my heart, will never be broken. So, yes, she is the love of my life.

KM: Perfectly said. On that note we'll take a break and continue the interview in 15.

"This is gold, guys. How you holding up Olivia?"

"I feel fine, Kim. Thanks for asking." She repositioned herself in the seat to stretch a bit. She looked over to Fitz as Kimberly had her team rush over to touch up her hair and makeup.

"Are you trying to make me cry on national television?" She whispered to him.

"What?" He kept the same quite tone.

"The whole 'love of your life' bit. You really know how to lay it on thick."

"I'm telling the truth," he whispered,"I just answered the question honestly."

"You're amazing, you know that?" She gave him a bright smile and he winked at her flashing a boyish grin.

"You two are so adorable. Really. Listen, here's my plan. Ten more minutes of questions while we tape. We switch over to a few questions not on camera but we'll try and get some camera stills for the cover and inside of the magazine."

Fitz nodded his head in agreement and looked at Liv before speaking.

"A woman with a plan. We'll take it."

* * *

"That wasn't so bad. Was it?"

"Not. At. All."

Fitz stood in the doorway to the living room and leaned against it. It was later in the evening and he had changed into one of his old navy T-shirts and a pair of dark sweatpants.

"You look completely adorable, Livvie."

Olivia sat on the couch with her legs straight in front of her and feet propped up on the coffee table. She switched from her interview outfit to a pair of leggings and one of Fitz' collared shirts. Whenever she was home she opted to wear mostly his clothes because they were the loosest and most comfortable items that fit. As she lay on the couch eating out of her Ben&Jerrys carton of ice cream she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"Come sit with me." Fitz obliged and walked over to her, never breaking their locked eyes.

"Scootch over." He plopped all of his weight right next to her. As he made himself comfortable he took the ice cream out of her hand and helped himself to once scoop. While he gave it back to her she took it and placed it out of the way on the table. His arm draped over her shoulder as the other one reached to rub slow, soothing circles around her swollen belly.

"I love you," Fitz whispered into Olivia's ear before laying a sweet kiss on her temple.

She looked over at him and smiled before responding in a similar whisper.

"You're only saying that because I shared my ice cream."

Fitz couldn't help but laugh which made her smile even wider. He leaned in to kiss her lips. The soft, full feeling against his made him let out a light moan. Olivia pecked him sweetly once more and leaned back a bit to look him in his perfectly grey eyes.

"I love you too, Fitz."

"You know. All day I kept thinking about getting you alone."

"All day? We were with an interviewer, a photographer, a videographer, and God knows how many other random people, and all you could think about was alone time?"

"Yes, we had an entire army with us today. But you don't understand how sexy you looked. I mean, really Liv. When we were taking those pictures and the photographer kept placing you in between my legs, and your these," he took his free hand and motioned at her breasts,"were right in my line of sight. You're telling me you couldn't feel what you were doing to me? It took every ounce of strength not to call for a ten minute break and have a rendezvous in a back room."

"Believe me, I could definitely feel you behind me. But I knew that the only way to not have you completely lose it was to ignore your obvious excitement. I'm pretty sure the photographer noticed your dilemma once or twice when we repositioned."

"He was doing it on purpose." Olivia rolled her eyes and smirked at his claim."But I don't even care. I say all of this to bring up the fact that you, my love, are so beautiful and sexy, and I plan on showing you exactly how much for the rest of the evening." Fitz began laying open mouthed kisses along her neck. Slow and deliberate, because he knew that would turn her on. His hand remained around her shoulder as his other began rubbing and kneading her upper thigh, motioning closer to in between her legs.

Olivia leaned her head to give him more access to the sensitive skin on her neck. She had started to turn her body so she could run her hands through his perfect curls until she heard his phone ring.

"Fitz, your phone," she said quietly as he continued kissing all over her face and neck while ignoring the obvious ring.

"No," was his reply as his hands slowly made their way to the waist of her leggings.

"Fitz..." It was more of a whine from her mouth now which pulled him out of his original plan. "It could be one of the kids. Just check before we start this because we both know you won't stop then."

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

"Just see who it is. I'll still be here. I can barely move anyway." Fitz groaned but jumped up to reach his phone before he missed the call.

"Hey Ger. I hope this is important...no I haven't checked my texts...okay...okay. What's her name? Yeah. Next weekend? I'll check with Liv but I don't see why not. Okay bud. Sounds like a plan. Be good. And don't call me back for the rest of the night unless its an emergency. Yeah, something like that. Gerry, thats too much information. Love you, kid. Bye." He threw his phone back down and practically sprinted back to the vacant spot next to Olivia.

"See. I told you it would be one of the kids."

"Gerry wants us to meet his girlfriend."

"The one everyone knows about but he wouldn't admit he was dating?"

"Yeah, I guess. He's bringing her over next weekend for two days."

"Wow. Okay. Good news is we'll be in the new house by Friday."

"True," he looked off and let out a sigh."Gerry's bringing his girlfriend to meet the parents."

"What are your thoughts on that?" She grabbed his hand to intertwine their fingers. Fitz looked down at her petite hands in his and gave a warm smile.

"Nothing much. Just can't believe these are the phone calls I'm getting from my kids now. I'm getting old."

"You are," she kissed his cheek quickly,"but so is everyone else."

"True."

"Now, before we were interrupted you were saying something about me being beautiful and sexy?" She began kissing his jawline sensually.

"Mmmmmm. Right. Where were we?"

* * *

**Hey all! I know, I know...it's been FOREVER since I've updated. I don't even have a good excuse. But, alas, here's the latest installment. We're coming up on a new house and the birth of the newest Grant! I'll try to be better at updating. As always, feel free to leave a review! Thanks so much for reading:)**


	16. Chapter 16

Olivia wore one of her favorite blue plaid shirts from Fitz's side of the closet. As soon as she put on her common outfit of leggings and one of his shirts she made her way to the kitchen to start preparing the food that they would grill for dinner. Sitting in the kitchen were Jerry and his girlfriend, Marissa. Liv couldn't help but smirk at the sight of these two young adults. Marissa was a petite girl with dark features. Straight hair, dark brown eyes, a naturally tan complexion, and small enough for Jerry to be able to wrap one arm around her and entrap her entire body. He had his fathers exact same frame, so the fit of their bodies reminded her of how Fitz's body molded so perfectly with hers. As she entered the kitchen she over exaggerated clearing her throat to make her presence known.

"Liv's up from her midday nap. Which means its chow time," Jerry teased as she began pulling out the ingredients for dinner.

"So you're saying I'm only good for sleeping and eating Jer?"

"Never that, Liv. Never that," he winked at her causing her to give him a smile.

"Looks like the other sleeping beauty is up now, too," Olivia turned her attention to Karen who made her way to a nearby stool.

"I was out cold. The flight down here wore me out. Where's dad?"

"He ran to the store to get us men some drinks. There's nothing but wine in this house."

"You say that like its a bad thing Jerry."

"Liv, you've been a part of this family long enough to know that we drink manly drinks...beer, scotch, and whiskey. Stuff that puts hair on your chest." Jerry stood next to Marissa and poked his chest out while he placed his hands on his waist to give a regal stance. All three of the girls had to laugh at his silly nature.

"So do you two have plans for the weekend?" Olivia asked as she continued to season the meat for the grill.

"I think just chill. Marissa has friends that are in DC for the weekend so we're gonna catch up with them tomorrow."

"Very nice. Marissa do you get to DC often?"

"Not really. I live in Boston so I stay pretty busy there."

"Now, you went to the same boarding school as Jerry and Karen right?"

"Right. I've known Jerry a long time actually. But we only recently started hanging out."

"You were with one of the Davis twins last I heard," Karen mentioned as she pretended to innocently make her statement.

"What's that, Karen?" Marissa asked, seemingly confused.

"Zachary Davis...Senator Edison Davis' son. Didn't you date him?"

"A while ago," she responded with a skeptical tone.

"He has a twin brother. Identical. What was his name? Fredrick ? Yeah, Fred...Actually, didn't you date him too?"

"Briefly. I didn't know that you were friends with them, Karen."

"Meh, you know, just acquaintances. I just knew your name sounded familiar when Jerry mentioned you coming to visit with him. And then I made the connection. Not every day you find a person who's dated brothers. Twins nonetheless. Guess you can mark that off the bucket list."

The tension in the room had grown substantially from the brief conversation. Olivia was silently cursing Fitz in her mind for leaving her alone to extinguish the potential fire between the two girls.

"Karen you want to give me some help on the deck?"

"I'm fine. Thanks though."

"I'm sorry. I phrased that as a question. What I meant to say was, Karen, come with me to help on the deck. Now."

"Ugh. Coming."

* * *

"I don't like her."

"Come on, be nice."

"I am being nice. Considering that I don't like her."

Liv and Karen were out on the large deck in the back of the new house. It was a crisp fall evening and a clear night so the weather was perfect for the large amount of grilling they decided to do for dinner. The burgers were cooking and Liv decided that it was best for her to sit and rest while Karen managed the cooking until Fitz came back home.

"Well, for your brothers sake, give her a chance. Who cares who she dated before? There has to be something about her that's worth the time," Liv tried to reason.

"I'm sure there's something about her. Its called she's a nice and easy piece of-" Olivia stood up and raised her hand in the air, stopping Karen mid-phrase.

"Karen Elizabeth Grant, if you finish that sentence..."

She instantly turned from a venomous snake to an innocent little girl.

"Sorry, I just...I'm protective over my family," she said sheepishly as she walked over to gently rub Olivia's belly. Karen's height was always a few inches over Liv's but she never minded crouching to give her newest sibling a sweet touch.

"Don't be sorry Kare. Just give the girl a fair shot, okay?"

Karen let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. She managed to top off her dramatic response with a slight smile and smirk on her face. "Only because you asked me to, Liv."

Just as the two of them shared a knowing look, Fitz walked up the deck from the side of the house. He was carrying multiple brown bags in his hands as he approached his two favorite girls.

"Karen, help your old man out and grab this bag for me before I drop it."

"Hey dad," she gave him a quick smile and grabbed two bags from his arms before heading back in the house.

"Did I interrupt girl bonding on the deck?" He asked as he approached his very pregnant wife and gave a brief kiss to her temple. Olivia smiled and let him take over with the grilling. She continued to "taste-test" the food as she watched nearby.

"Nope. I was just telling Karen to give the girlfriend a break."

"She was putting Marissa through the Spanish Inquisition, huh?"

"She's just being protective," Liv said dismissively.

"Okay. And hows my baby momma?" He asked as he turned his attention from the food to her.

"Good," Liv reached up on her toes and smoothly grabbed her husbands collar to lower him for a slow kiss. They took their time, since it was just the two of them standing outside."Hi."

"Hi," he smiled within inches of her face, looking at her eyes and lips. "You have a good nap?"

"Yeah," just as she started responding she winced with discomfort and reached for her belly.

"Wats wrong? Is it the baby?"

"Hm," she straightened herself, noticing that the pain had quickly disappeared. "I think I just have gas or something. Sexy, I know."

"Anything you do is sexy,Liv. Even potential gas," he laughed as his hands rested on her belly to rub her gently and he gave a suggestive look.

"I think the fumes from the grill are getting to you."

"Maybe. Or maybe I'm just going through Olivia Pope-Grant withdrawal."

"You're forgetting that we had some shower time this morning, mister."

"Livvie, I don't mind washing your hair and giving you a shoulder massage under a hot shower. Trust me. But I hardly think that manual labor constitutes true shower time," he smirked as he spoke.

"Well that's as good as its getting for now, Grant."

"You're killing me."

"Come on, you'll survive. And hurry up with that food. We should get back inside before Karen completely annihilates Jerry's girlfriend."

"Right."

* * *

The evening had finished smoothly, Fitz loving the fact that his family was altogether under one roof for a weekend. As everyone settled in their respective rooms for the night Olivia found herself wide awake into the early morning hours. She decided to stop delaying the inevitable.

"Where are you going?" Fitze mumbled from the bed, barely awake.

"The baby wants a snack. Go back to sleep."

Olivia tiptoed her way out of the room before Fitz could protest, which he never did because he was delirious when he tried to have a conversation in the middle of the night. He remained tangled in their sheets as she looked around the room for some clothes to throw on. During her third trimester she hated the feeling of sleeping in anything. So, much to Fitz's delight, she would sleep naked. As her eyes scanned the room she settled on a simple mid-length robe that Fitz bought for her. He knew her preference of wearing all things white so he purchased the ivory and silk number for her from a special maternity website.

Her usual midnight snacks consisted of whatever she could find in the kitchen: granola bars, cereal, cheese snacks, ice cream-anything the baby "craved". Every time she found herself shamelessly eating in all her glory she felt a little rebellious. It was a guilty pleasure that she knew would be short-lived, but embraced it. The only difference about her midnight excursion this time was that she had thrown on the robe, strictly due to the fact that Gerry and Karen were still staying at the house.

"What do you want kiddo?" She asked quietly as she made her way to the kitchen, rubbing her belly. "Chips? Ice cream?" She waited a second to see if she felt a kick. "Guess not...Maybe your favorite captain crunch cereal?" She halted as she reached the kitchen, again waiting for a response. Her eyebrows raised as she patted her belly and quietly laughed to herself. "Mommy felt that one. Captain Crunch it is."

She comfortably moved around the kitchen, loving being the only one up as the rest of the house slept. Just as she reached to get a bowl out of the cabinet she had an unusual feeling. A lot of pressure in her lower abdomen and more movement from the baby. She had slightly hunched herself as an immediate reaction to her discomfort. Just as she stood up to straighten herself she had the same feeling again. But this time, she started to panic. As soon as she realized what was happening Jerry came strolling in the kitchen, wearing a white tshirt and navy blue basketball shorts. The spitting image of a tired Fitz, just skinnier and fuller, darker hair.

"Midnight snack, huh Liv," he teased as he walked in the kitchen, stopping as he reached the island in the middle.

"Jerry, get your father."

He looked at her with amusement as he noticed her standing under the open cabinet which made him smile, despite her serious tone.

"If you need me to reach something in the cabinet I can."

"No...just...go get your dad."

"Wake him up? You know it's almost one in the morning? And it's Sunday? Dad will freak out if I wake him up for no reason." Jerry was walking around the island as he spoke, making his way to Olivia when he saw the wet patches on the ground, "Is that? Your water just broke?! Holy shit! I mean-sorry. Language, I know. Shit! Sorry! I'm getting dad," he turned to sprint out of the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks to swivel his body and face Olivia. "Wait! Here, you should sit."

"No! Please!" She winced her eyes and tightened her jaw in frustration. "Jerry...I'm really trying to be cool about this. But if you don't get your father in here," she took a deep breath and opened her eyes slowly, trying to compose herself as she repeated her original request in an even tone."Get. Fitz. In here. Now."

Within seconds Fitz came racing in the kitchen with a serious look on his face. His eyes widened as he saw the amniotic fluid on the wood floor. He walked right next to Olivia's small body which was gently trembling, her knuckles white as she gripped on to the edge of the counter. He placed one hand gently on her waist, the other rubbing soft circles against her back attempting to soothe her.

"Livvie, it's okay. You're okay."

"Fitz..."

"Are you having contractions?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure..."

"Okay. Jer's helping Tom put our hospital stuff in the SUV right now. Everything's okay. You wanna change before we head out?"

"Yes. No. I...I don't know. I don't...I'm not due for another two and a half weeks...this isn't-"

Fitz could see her brain going a mile a minute.

"Hey. Look at me." He paused to make sure that he had her attention as their eyes locked. He saw her demeanor soften as he gave her a reassuring look.

"Its fine. Karen was three weeks early. Jerry was two. We're fine. But we should go before your contractions get too bad. I just need to know if you want to change into your clothes for the hospital."

"Yes. I do."

"Lets go do that. I'll help you. And then we'll go to the hospital. It's all good, Liv. It's going to be fine I promise. Lets have a baby," he said with his best coaching spirit.

* * *

Fitz had been standing in front of the window staring out into the landscape surrounding the hospital. The sky was orange with swirls of red and pink in it as the sun set behind the lush trees. His back was turned to Olivia as he swayed side to side almost effortlessly and hummed a quietly soothing tune. It wasn't until the faint sound of a baby cooing that she knew he was holding their newborn as he watched the sun go down. Fitz heard a light shuffle in the bed and turned his attention behind him to his wife waking up. She looked frail and so small while laying there but as beautiful as ever.

"Hi, momma," he said quietly as he walked over to her in the bed.

"Hey," she said while attempting to muffle her yawn.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired. And like Jello."

"Tired jello? Gotcha."

She lightly laughed as she pushed herself up in the bed and settled her attention to her newborn.

"How is he?" She asked as her eyes remained glued on the baby. her arms subconsciously extending.

"He's perfect." Fitz had walked closer to delicately place the baby in Olivia's arms. As soon as she was holding their child she gently squeezed him into her chest and lowered her nose to the top of his head where she lightly grazed her mouth and laid a sweet kiss.

"He smells so good."

"That's because I changed him," he teased. "My boy sure can blow up a diaper."

"I might be biased. But he's so perfect," her fingers began slowly tracing all of the newborns features. "His little pointy nose, his big chubby cheeks, these teeny lips. He's beautiful Fitz. Just look at him."

"I know. Believe me. I can't look away. Especially all of that hair. A full head of black hair. I wonder where he got that from," he joked raising an eyebrow.

Olivia smiled down, and just above a whisper said, "We made a baby."

Fitz pulled up the closest stool to sit eye level with Olivia as she laid in the bed with their newborn.

"Jackson Oliver Grant. In the flesh." He kissed Olivia on her temple as she looked down at their new addition."Amazing."

Jackson was a plump baby. Jet black hair, fair skin, a little bit of color in his cheeks. His eyes remained closed most of the time but when he would wake up to check out his surroundings he took everyone's breath away with his light brown eyes. Almost the color of honey. They contrasted his dark hair perfectly. Olivia and Fitz couldn't take their eyes off of him.

"There's no way I would've gotten through this without you."

"We make a pretty good team, huh."

"Yeah. Something like that," Liv smiled sweetly but her attention was broken as she looked around the room inquisitively,"Where are the kids?"

"You just missed them. They went back to the house to sleep. I practically had to pry Jackson from their fingers. But I told them to go, get some rest, freshen up and come back later."

"Good thinking," she let out a labored sigh. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting to feel this tired. It's all a blur. I remember him coming out and the doctor laying him on my chest. After that-I know the kids came in. I remember you cutting the cord."

"Well between the tears and everyone passing him around like a hot potato I'm surprised you remember anything at all."

"I cried a lot didn't I?"

"Understatement."

"When I saw him and his little body was on my chest. And you were right next to me..I..I've never felt anything like that. Not to sound mushy. Its hard to describe," she looked up from Jackson and turned her attention to Fitz,"I love you. So much. But this, holding him, this feeling is different." Her attention turned back to their baby boy."It's just incredible. It's... everything."

Fitz reached his closest hand behind her neck and began massaging her slowly."You were a champ today."

"Thanks honey," she said as she lifted her face to give Fitz a slow but sweet peck on his lips. The soft smile that followed warmed his heart.

"You've gotta be so exhausted. You should get more sleep before you have to nurse again," he stated.

"I think your baby boy is exhausted himself," she responded, taking another peek at their newborn. Fitz extended his arms and scooped him up from Olivia.

"Jackson, Daddy's wants to hold you for a while so Mommy can get some more sleep. She's tired too." The baby made a few slight sounds as he adjusted in his dads arms. By the time Fitz looked up from staring at Jackson, Olivia was dozing off herself. He smiled to himself and looked back down to lowered his mouth before laying a gentle kiss."My boy," he whispered.

* * *

Weeks had passed and Fitz and Olivia were finally getting into the groove of parenting their newborn. After a day at his office and and evening taking care of Jackson, Fitz was wrapping up a long day. He walked into the dimly lit bedroom as Liv arranged the covers for them to go to sleep.

"How is he?"

"Handsome. Perfect."

"I was thinking more along the lines of, is he sleeping? Did he go down okay? Did you remember to turn the baby monitor on?" She slid into her side of the bed and began her nighttime ritual of lotion, taking her daily vitamins, and situating her reading material before bed.

"Yes, he's fine, the monitor is on. I think I can handle putting a baby to sleep. I've done it a million times before."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she said playfully, not breaking her attention from her side of the bed.

"He just stared at me the whole time he was falling asleep. Those big brown eyes. I didn't want him to close them."

"He has you wrapped around his finger, Fitzgerald."

"I cant help it," he shrugged innocently as he made his way under the covers, meeting his wife in the middle of the bed. He laid on his side to face her and smiled at what he saw. Olivia Pope-Grant, going through her normal bedtime routine. He slowly slid his hand over her bare thigh and rubbed gently to get her attention. "Hi, Momma."

She turned her face from the book she was about to open and looked at him with a suspicious smile. He was too sexy for words, even in his typical sleepwear-a white t-shirt and dark briefs.

"Hi, Poppa," her hand lifted to softly stroked one side of his jaw with the back of her fingers. "How was my handsome husbands day?"

"Pretty good. Had a productive lunch meeting with a few board members. The new scholarship foundation I'm working on is finally getting up and running. I need to draw up a new proposal to fit the specifications that we agreed on today. So that'll be a new project in itself."

"You should let me take a look at the proposal. I can probably do-"

"Nope."

"Fitz, I could be some help."

"I know that. But we both agreed that you take this time off and actually rest and embrace being in mommy mode. You're probably missing work right now, right?"

"Kinda. Not that much though. I love being home with Jackson. More than I thought I would. He's such a good baby, Fitz. He makes it really easy for me. It's still work, of course, but a different type. I'd just like to get my hands on something a little more juicy. You know, sink my teeth into a big project. Just a little taste."

"A little more juicy, huh?"

"Well...yeah." Fitz stared at her in her eyes as they shared a playful staring contest for a few seconds. Before she knew it he flipped her swiftly on her back causing her to let out a gasp and wicked laugh as he trailed quick soft kisses down her neck."Hmmm, honey, I wasn't _exactly_ talking about that," she said as she bit her bottom lip barely hiding a grin.

"You said you wanted juicy," his smile against her neck made Olivia grin even harder from ear to ear."Liv, you smell incredible."

"It's called a shower," she giggled into his hair as her nails lightly grazed his scalp down the back of his neck."Mmmmm."

"Livvie," he mumbled as his tongue drew patterns along her neck and collar bone, lightly nipping at her skin.

"God. Fitz..." Somehow he always knew the right way to kiss her, whether it was on her lips or anywhere on her body. Every placement of his lips was another head-trip for her. She pulled his face to hers with both her hands and kissed his lips. It started off sweet but only took seconds before their tongues massaged the inside of one another's mouth in the most sensual of ways. They slowly broke their kiss to lick and peck one another's faces, jaws, necks-wherever they would land.

"You're so sexy baby," he growled in her ear as his hand reached to grab her ass. She could feel his growing erection pressing against her abdomen. Olivia couldn't help but let out a moan as he began to slowly grind it on top of her. He looked at her not attempting to hide the sexy smirk he was making."You like that huh?" His hips slowly rotating against her pelvis to sweetly torture her. He already knew the answer.

"Maybe," she replied in a low voice with her eyes barely open. His hands made their way to the lace strap of her panties. Just as he began pulling them down Liv stiffened her body and grasped his hands, popping her eyes open. "Fitz, we can't."

"I promise I'll be gentle," he said, not letting up from his task as hand.

"Sweetie, you know we can't yet. Not until my doctors appointment at the end of the week. As soon as he gives us the okay, I'm all yours."

"Liv, he's going to say the same thing that I've been saying. If it hurts, don't do it. But, the way you were just moaning, makes me think it'll feel just fine." He continued the assault on her neck with his lips.

"Nope. Off." She was serious. Fitz hesitated to see if she was being playful or not. After a few seconds of reading her face he rolled on his back against the mattress and groaned in frustration."I know you're dying here. But it's doctors orders."

"I'm a doctor too, you know. In case you forgot," he was half kidding, half serious as he looked up at the ceiling keeping his hands rested against his abs.

"How could I forget, Doctor Grant?" She grazed her nails against his ribcage, trying to keep the mood light, causing goosebumps to form all over his body.

He knew she was teasing him. But he decided that two could play that game. As she turned to pick up her book on her nightstand he grabbed her at her waist, held on tightly, and quickly rolled her towards him so that she was forced on top of his body. Olivia screeched at his swiftness and laughed uncontrollably. He always used her small frame to his advantage. Fitz wrapped his legs at her ankles to trap her against him as his large hands moved to cradle her face above his.

"Livvie, tell me you don't feel what you're doing to me," he pouted with his best impersonation of a little child as he lifted his hips to prove his point."It's been weeks. Actually _weeks upon weeks_. Before Jackson. I don't want to beg, but, please? Pretty please? With cherries on top?"

"You're fortunate that you're adorable when you beg." Olivia swiped her straight hair behind her ears and lowered her mouth to kiss his chest through his shirt. She then rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him."But only a few more days. Besides, I told you these past weeks upon weeks, as you put it, that I would be more than happy to help you out in _other_ ways." She smiled slyly at him and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Ohhhhh, no no no. Because, even though I love when you do that, you're amazing at it, and you have the absolute perfect mouth for that, I know myself. I am _going_ to want more. It's all or nothing baby."

"Okay," she patted his chest twice lightly with her small hands,"Well, can't say I didn't try." She rolled off his body with ease and laid on her side with her back turned to him. "Don't forget to turn the light off." She was glad he couldn't see the grin on her face, proud of herself that she had that kind power over his body.

"You are an evil, evil woman. I think you really do love torturing me."

"Never," she said as she backed herself into him. The soft flesh of her against him was heaven and hell all in one. He wrapped his arms around her midsection and kissed the back of her neck.

"Liv. You have no idea how good you're gonna get it after we get the green light."

"Oh, I think I have an idea. Good night, Doctor Grant," she said in a singing voice as she used one of his favorite names.

He chuckled against her skin before planting a final kiss. "Night baby."

Within minutes Olivia was knocked out and Fitz wasn't far behind her. Just as they were both about to be in perfect sleeping bliss the baby monitor lit up with sounds of Jackson waking up. It didn't take long for the sounds to turn into an all out screeching cry from their newborn.

Olivia barely moved but she mustered up enough energy to nudge Fitz in his elbow.

"Fitz," she mumbled drowsily against her pillow,"Can you get him?"

Fitz sighed as he rolled on his back. This night wasn't exactly turning out to be a fun one. No sex, and on top of that, baby duty. So he decided there was only one way to possibly turn this to his advantage.

"Rock, paper, scissors."

**HEY GUYS! So, better late than never? I've been working on this chapter a little bit at a time. Hope you enjoy it. Jackson Grant has arrived:) As always, leave a review or a comment. Your feedback always helps me when writing each chapter. Thanks so much for reading my little story. It makes the process fun for me. Till the next chapter, happy reading:)**


	17. Chapter 17

Olivia made her way down to the main floor of the house after taking her time to get ready. She hired a small team to help her prepare for the evening to ensure that she looked just right. As she walked through the bottom level of the house in her heels and white floor-length dress she felt nervous. It was her first night out since having Jackson, and her first date night with Fitz in months. She smiled at what she saw as she walked in the foyer. Fitz stood in his black tuxedo and bow-tie as he played on his iPad while waiting for her. His hair was styled with just enough gel to give him a dapper look.

"Wow!" Fitz said, as he looked up from the screen and admired his wife's body in her perfectly tailored dress.

"Yeah?"

"Definitely. Yes."

She gave him a look showing that she was unsure about her dress choice.

"It's not too much? I don't want it to seem like I'm overcompensating just because I'm a mom now."

"You're over-thinking this," he assured her as he walked over to her. "You look incredible," he whispered before setting a loving kiss on her temple. "Mmmmm. And you smell good too."

"Thanks. So do you," she smiled at him, instantly feeling a calm wash over her as their eyes met.

Just as the world began slowing around them, they were joined in the kitchen by their babysitters for the night. Abby, Quinn, and Huck.

"Jackson, check out Mommy and Daddy. Looking Hollywood," Quinn beamed as she cradled the plump baby in her arms.

"Thanks so much for watching him, you guys," Olivia said, giving them each a genuine smile.

"Yeah. Seriously. You were Livs first choice when I mentioned we'd need a sitter. All three of you." Fitz was teasing her for asking three adults to clear their evening schedule for one baby.

"Of course! It's our pleasure. Besides, you know you've arrived in the world when the former President and Olivia Pope are trusting you to watch their seven-week old newborn," Abby said excitedly.

"Truth," Huck said. A man of few words, but Liv knew that he would be the best protector for her pride and joy.

"Jackson. How's my little porkster?" Olivia asked as she gently took him from Quinn's arms. "Did you already start having fun with these guys? My big boy! Mommy's going to miss you so much tonight."

Olivia cradled him in her arms, completely ignoring the fact that there were four other adults in the room. Jackson had all of her attention, as always.

"Daddy, too. But we really gotta get going Liv."

"Okay," she looked at him and smiled, not making any moves to hand over the baby.

"Liv?"

A moment of awkward silence filled the room as everyone watched Olivia make no attempt to let anyone else hold the newborn. Tears started to well in her eyes as she blinked rapidly, trying to pull it together.

"I'm sorry," she whispered slowly, giving Fitz an apologetic look, slightly embarrassed as she cradled Jackson tightly against her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Fitz began rubbing her arms as he leaned down to get a good look at her eyes.

"I just need a minute."

"Guys, I think we need the room. We'll be out shortly."

The three babysitters quietly exited, leaving the Grants to have a moment.

"Liv. He's going to fall back asleep in about 30 minutes. You're not going to miss any major milestones. I promise."

"I know," she said quietly as she kissed Jackson's cheek and held her mouth there. "I just don't want to be far away from him. I know that sounds ridiculous. We won't be _that_ far, but he's just a baby. And people are crazy. Anything could happen. We're a high-profile family that-"

"Before you start on that rant, he's more than safe. He has three babysitters and two agents on the property tonight. So safety isn't an issue."

"Maybe so. But...we're leaving him at home to go take care of politics and business. What kind of people do that? You know who? Terrible, terrible people. People who think their kids-"

"Nope. We're good parents who happen to work. We agreed to attend this fundraiser months ago. You haven't gone a day without him since he's been born. This'll be a good way for you test the waters. Okay?" Fitz pried Jackson from Olivia's arms. "Isn't that right baby boy? Daddy's handsome guy. You're going to break a lot of girls hearts with these dashing good looks."

"Ugh. Girls," Olivia said disgustingly as she cleared her throat and pulled it together. She nuzzled close to Fitz, trying to get Jackson's attention. "Mommys the only girl for you, right? My little man. I'm you're girl, right?"

"Liv, don't do that. It makes you sound like one of those moms from the Lifetime Movies."

"He's never getting a girlfriend, Fitzgerald. He won't find anyone that's as good to him as I am."

"We have some time before that's a real issue. Come on. We're late."

* * *

Fitz and Olivia had managed to get separated for a portion of the night. Each of the two circling the large room while catching up with friends, business associates, and meeting new people. Finally, Fitz had a moment to try and find his wife. When he did, he noticed her talking to a group of people. She was having a good time, conversing and laughing. He walked over to the group slowly, admiring his wife along the way, unbeknownst to her.

"There he is! The man of the hour," one of the men in the small group said. He was clearly a decorated man of the military, dressed in his uniform, his shoulders lined with stars.

Fitz politely smiled as he stood next to Olivia, the two of them interlacing their fingers and sharing a quick wink. He turned his attention to the man.

"I believe the man of the hour tonight is Governor Reston. But I'm flattered, General."

"Olivia, here, was just giving us an update on the family. Sounds as though things are going well."

"More than well. I trust she showed you pictures of our newest addition," he said proudly.

"Yes. A handsome fellow you have on your hands there. A few more years and we can get him started in politics. Follow in his fathers footsteps, perhaps?"

"Are you trying to put me in the doghouse on this beautiful evening?" Everyone laughed at his implication.

"Understood, Mr. President. We'll save those possibilities for another evening."

Olivia spoke up, adding to the conversation.

"The General and his wife were just telling me about his last visit overseas. He actually just returned from an eight-month long tour."

"General, I don't know how you do it. My wife would have my head if I were gone for that long," Fitz joked before turning his attention to the woman standing across from him. "Abigail, you must have a honey-do list the length of The Constitution by the time he gets back from these tours."

She didn't respond, only joining in the laughter with everyone else.

"Well, Mr. President," the General interjected, "you look great since the last time I saw you. And, between me and you, I think it's safe to say you're a lucky man to have this pretty woman by your side."

"You're too kind," Olivia blushed at the extra attention.

"I'd have to agree with you, General," Fitz said confidently while giving her hand a hidden squeeze. "Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like to steal this pretty woman away for a moment."

"But, of course."

Fitz turned away from the group of people, hand in hand with Liv as they made their way to a near-by doorway. It opened to a balcony which had a perfect view of the national monument, the air warm enough for a quick rendezvous outside. They stood with their bodies facing each other, drinking in the moment of standing there alone in peace and quiet. Fitz snaked his arms around Olivia's small waist and gave a thin smile.

"Hi."

"Hi."

He leaned down to kiss her sweetly. Olivia felt a surge of electric through her body as their lips touched.

"Mmmmm," he moaned as he pulled his mouth from hers.

"You taste," she spoke against his mouth after giving a quick kiss, "like scotch," another kiss, this one slightly deeper, "and cigars."

Fitz smirked as he pulled away, only inches from her face. He licked his mouth before biting his lower lip. His eyes were dropped as he stared at her full pout.

"I was with Cyrus and a few others in a quick meeting and they offered me a cigar."

"Mmmhmmm."She kissed him again.

"Am I in trouble for drinking and smoking?" Fitz asked as he pressed their foreheads together.

"I think I kinda like how you taste right now."

"Yeah?"

"Uh-huh," she replied with a devilish look in her eye.

"I'd like to find out how you taste right now," Fitz said, his voice dropping to a low tone.

"Oh yeah?"

"Uh-huh."

Liv lifted her arms to drape around his neck.

"How about I let you take me home to find out."

"Lead the way."

* * *

"Fitz," she said, barely audible, already short of breath.

"You taste," he flattened his tongue against her hot core, giving a long and slow swipe, "so fucking good."

"Baby," Olivia moaned with her eyes closed and her head back against the pillow. She reached down to scratch and pull at Fitz's full head of curls. She loved when he grew his hair out a little longer for this specific reason.

His mouth continued its pleasurable assault on her opening. Lightly nipping, kissing where his teeth had just pulled, sucking with his lips, spitting lightly to make even more of a mess to clean up with his tongue. He was intent on bringing her over the edge more than once, while he enjoyed his feast between her legs. He did everything imaginable as he was eating her out. No spot went untouched. It was particularly torturous when he would spread her lips with two fingers to open her up completely, and flick his tongue relentlessly against her exposed flesh. He gave her multiple orgasms as he explored her with his devilishly talented mouth, showing no sign of stopping.

"Please," she moaned, "come up here," she said quietly, locking eyes with her husband. She was too beautiful in this moment. Visibly spent from his sweet torture on her, she stretched her arm out to pull him up closer to her. He obliged as he laid soft kisses on his slow journey up to meet his wife, face to face.

"You would've stayed there all night if I let you," she said lowly with a wicked smile as she cradled his face. Her knees were bent as she laid on her back, with her feet flat against the bed. A perfect way for him to comfortably lay in between her thighs. He looked drugged as he held himself slightly above her body on his elbows. His hair was a mess, eyes barely open, and his lips were slightly swollen, her essence causing his mouth to look shiny. She held his jaw with one hand while using her thumb across his lips, attempting to clean them off. He took the opportunity to taste her finger and bite it gently, enjoying the leftovers.

"You have no idea how much I missed doing that," he mumbled as he leaned down and stuck his tongue out for Olivia to suck on. She was more than willing to enjoy the taste of herself in his mouth.

"Mmmmm...you are a dirty boy, Doctor Grant," she teased, wrapping her arms under and around his shoulders as she slid her mouth down his neck and clavicle, laying soft kisses simultaneously.

"And you're a dirty girl, Mrs. Grant," he said as he lowered his mouth to bite and suck her neck.

"God, Fitz," she groaned behind gritted teeth as he sucked hard against her pulse point.

While his left arm cradled above her head, his right shifted downward to play with her core once more. Their mouths met and battled with one another as his fingers began entering her. As two of his digits slid deep within her she let out a stifled moan, which he caught in his mouth as they kissed.

"Is that what you want, Livvie?" He growled against her ear, in his deep voice, which was driving Olivia crazy in itself.

"Yes," she whispered as her eyes fluttered. She knew she should say more but the feeling of his fingers inside her was practically paralyzing.

"Tell me how good it feels," he demanded.

_God, he's really trying to kill me tonight_, she thought to herself.

She could barely speak as she was overcome with sensory overload. But she wanted him to be just as turned on as she was so she spoke up in a faint voice. "I love when you finger me, Fitz."

He looked at her mouth with a smirk. "Such dirty words out of those pretty lips," he said before kissing those same lips and whispering against them. "I love that."

"Oh yeah?" She looked at him above her mischievously. He grinned at the sight of his sexy wife laying underneath him. Her hair sprawled out against their white pillows, her big brown doe eyes looking at him seductively, her full lips smiling at him. That sight would never get old to him.

She wrapped her small hands around either side of his neck and pulled him down towards her as she slowly kissed the side of his face, trailing pecks one by one up to his ear. As she bit and tugged at his lobe he let out a groan. Olivia smiled, knowing he was losing control, slowly but surely.

"You like it when I talk dirty?" She whispered in his ear, leaving hot breath against his ear.

"God, yes."

"Then you'll love this," she pulled his body to hers tighter, practically melding them as one,

wrapping her legs around his waist before she whispered her next two words to him. "Fuck me."

"Livvie," he feigned disapproval at her harsh language as he moved his head above hers, and locked eyes with her, smiling down. "But if that's what you want." He lined himself up with her entrance and slid in slowly, letting out a strained groan. He took his time positioning himself, not forgetting the fact that this was their first time in a while.

Her eyes drifted shut, as she let her body adjust to his hard member. She had forgotten how good he felt, how he perfectly fit inside her.

"You okay?" He asked trying to control his breathing. If he was being honest with himself he needed a moment to make sure he wouldn't finish prematurely.

She relaxed her neck as her head laid back and had a look of utter bliss on her face. Her chest rising and lowering as her heart proceeded to beat rapidly.

"Perfect," she whispered as an exhalation, more to herself than him.

"You're so tight," he moaned against her neck.

He clenched his jaw as he dipped his hips and entered her deeper. She pressed her head back more and let out a guttural groan as he positioned his hard member as far as he could. Fitz pulled away slightly before gently sliding in deeply again. His hips swiveled at the same time. Once. Twice. Again. Over and over. Never stopping. Moaning against her neck, breathing against her, sticking his tongue out to taste the salt from the sweat on her skin.

"Fuck. Olivia."

"Yes," she quietly said as she rocked in the same motion with him. Their rhythm was perfectly in sync, as always.

He took his time making love to her, kissing every part of her body that was exposed to him.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear, as he slid in and out of her, repeating himself. "I love you."

It was too much. Him on her. In her. Whispering in her ear like that. She could feel herself about to come for the third time that night. Or was it the fourth? Her husband was intent on worshipping her body. And she accepted, meeting each of his slow, deep movements, while kissing his neck just under his jaw- a spot that she knew was sensitive for him.

"I love you more," she whispered back, against his spot. As she spoke those words she felt her walls tighten against his length. It was quiet and perfect when she came. Her body's natural reaction to the love it was being shown.

His breathing was heavy as his head was dropped to the side of her face. He wanted this feeling to last forever. The two of them connected, in more ways than one. It was heaven for both of them.

"Fitz," she got his attention and gave him a look that he recognized. She hadn't spoken but he knew her well enough to understand, which she loved.

"You sure?"

She gave a coy smile as she bit her bottom lip. That was the only response he needed.

"Hold on tight." They both shared matching smirks as they locked eyes again.

She braced herself, adjusting her body by wrapping her legs around his waist tightly and wrapping her right arm behind his neck. Her left arm wrapped just under his ribcage, making sure she was secure.

Fitz was more than ready to let out his pent up energy that he'd been storing for weeks now. He started off giving it to her steady, and deliberate. Olivia bit into his shoulder at the distinct feeling of pleasure and pain. Every time he hit her spot she wanted to scream out but she opted to bite the flesh of his firm shoulder harder. Each thrust becoming noticeably rougher and faster than the one before. She began to whimper in complete pleasure in his ear, her own way of encouraging him to keep going. Their bed creaked at the increased movement, proof that their night was taking a wild turn.

"Harder," she pleaded in a faintly strained voice.

He starting thrusting as hard as he could, increasing his speed rapidly. As he took her faster her body began being slightly lifted off the bed, her small frame moving like putty with each quick thrust. His skin was becoming increasingly sweaty causing her to lose her grip against his neck. Her small hands knew to reach behind and slightly above her head to hold onto the iron bars that made up part of the headboard. Fitz repositioned himself on his knees as she gained a strong grip, wrapping her fingers tightly around the bars. He leaned back and held onto her waist with both of his large hands on either side. He forcibly slid her petite body as fast as he could. He watched as his wife's face scrunched in ecstasy, her eyebrows furrowed together and her eyes closed tightly. Fitz's teeth tightened together when saw her beautifully full mouth hanging partly open, letting out quick, sharp breaths, as her lower lip shook lightly with each thrust. He was so turned on as he pounded into her and watched her breasts bounce at the force he was using. This was exactly how he wanted it. He stared at her through each motion, almost with a look of anger, grunting again and again as he took her in this incredibly erotic position. Watching her take him

this intensely and knowing this was how she loved it was mind-blowing. He was heading to the finish line. And quick.

He lowered himself, bending over her as a canopy above her body, slightly switching his hip movements. On arm wrapped behind and around her tiny waist as the other reached above her head to grab onto the same iron bar that she had a death grip on.

"Come for me again," he groaned into her neck. "I want to feel you come, baby."

Olivia listened to the long list of dirty things Fitz began saying in her ear as he was grinding into her. Everything from how good she felt, to the things he loved to do to her body, to the places he loved to touch her. Each of his phrases laced with profanities that neither would dare repeat in another setting.

His hard length was at the perfect angle to grind against her clitoris. Her mind was hazy as he stimulated her in every way possible. Olivia couldn't hold off any longer, even if she wanted to. She felt as though she was exploding from the inside out, moaning loudly as her back arched and she fell off the edge in ecstasy.

She tried to stifle her sounds but the feeling was too good as she completely lost all control. She screamed his name, not caring if the whole world heard as she came. Fitz immediately reached his climax, holding on tightly as he completely emptied himself into her and said her name in a strained voice. He hugged her close to him, holding her in place to feel every pulse from his body. One last slow thrust was all it took to take every remaining ounce of energy from him.

"Oh god," he groaned as he held their bodies in place before lowering them. His entire body slowly rested on top of hers, careful not to crush her. "Oh my god."

They both attempted to catch their breath. Moments of silence passed as their hearts beat in sync, their sweaty bodies recovering. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing returning to normal.

"Liv."

"Uh-huh," was her only response in between breaths.

"Baby," he kissed her chest right against where he felt her heartbeat. "You're incredible." He rested his cheek just under her breast while he wrapped his arms around her midsection.

Liv's body had gone completely limp, except for one arm that laid across Fitz's shoulder.

"When I said harder, Fitz...You almost made me eat my words."

He lifted his face to look up at her while giving her a charming, but sleepy smile.

"Not bad for an old man, huh?"

"You're not an old man...yet," she said as she put both hands in his hair to push back his sweaty curls. "You're my strong, sexy man. But, I need to function after sex, you know. Have full use of my legs and other limbs."

"Baby. You're face. There wasn't even an inkling that you wanted me to stop or slow down. Trust me, I was looking for it."

"Making love is great. But there's something about you when we're rough and you're holding me. Your muscles look incredible, your face gets so serious. It's hot. And completely extreme. But something about it...turns me on."

"You wore me out."

"YOU wore ME out."

"How about we wore each other out."

"Agreed."

* * *

Fitz and Liv had passed out asleep at different ends of the bed, too exhausted to care about cuddling before dozing off. Hours later, the sound of thunder and rain filled the room, breaking Fitz from his slumber. As he lifted on his elbows to look around the bed he noticed Olivia laying on her stomach, resting on the pillows near the headboard. He crawled his way up to her, realizing that she was still asleep.

He watched her for a moment as she took slow, shallow breaths, with a simple calmness about her. The white sheets barely covered her petite body, lazily draped across her butt and upper thigh. Her toned back looked beautiful, even in the darkened room. He made himself comfortable, sitting as close to her as possible. He settled with his back against the headboard, situating the same sheet to cover his naked body from the waist down. He sat for a minute, closing his eyes as he listened to the rain, feeling completely relaxed with his wife's warm body right next to him. Fitz looked down at her and smiled to himself at how effortlessly beautiful she was, even in those early morning hours. No makeup, messy hair, a little bit of dried drool on the corner of her mouth, which actually made him smirk some.

As Fitz watched her he couldn't help but reach out and touch her skin. He loved how soft she always felt. His fingertips lazily drifted up and down the dipped valley of her spine. Part of him wanted to kiss every inch that he touched but he settled for the light grazes.

Like clockwork Olivia opened her eyes almost at the very second of his first touch. She slowly opened her big brown eyes to him, letting them adjust to the room filled which was lit with hues of gray from the storm outside. She peeked up at her husband and gave a warm smile against her pillow. No words were exchanged as they stayed that way, just looking at each other, listening to the rain. Neither of them were sure how much time had passed before the silence was broken.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Hm?"

"You were good for a while there, but I can tell your mind started going."

Liv stared up at him. She never understood how he could read her thoughts. _How does one become that connected to another person?_ She blinked a few times slowly and cleared her throat before answering him.

"I want to sell Pope and Associates."

Fitz repositioned his head to get a better look at Olivia. His face had an expression combined with confusion and curiosity. He looked like he had just heard a poorly timed practical joke.

"What?" She asked innocently, her face blank, pretending her own statement hadn't surprised her just as much.

"I didn't see that one coming."

"Really?"

"Really." He let out a brief, sharp exhalation. "I think I'm kind of shocked."

"Really?" She started second guessing herself. Maybe it was a bad idea.

"My Olivia," he sighed and had a thin smile across his lips. "You always surprise me." He waited for a second and began on a slow, even-toned tangent that Olivia silently watched and listened to.

"You know what I think of when I think about my first time meeting you?" He asked the question as if he were having a conversation with himself. He was clearly talking to his wife, but his eyes didn't reach hers. Instead they remained glued on her as he admired her back. His fingers simultaneously traced around a perfectly placed beauty mark on her shoulder blade that he had noticed their first time in bed together. Fitz smiled to himself as the memory drifted to the forefront of his mind. He managed to pull himself from his thoughts and continued speaking as he looked down at her body.

"First," he raised one eyebrow and smirked to himself, "I remember that you looked sexy as hell in your grey jacket and dark blue skinny jeans."

She rolled her eyes and he began to chuckle at his own confession. He looked over at her as he relaxed from laughing, this time their eyes meeting. His expression became slightly more serious.

"But, after that," he proceeded slowly, "I remember watching you, and listening to you speak in front of all those staffers. Within seconds, I knew you were a woman passionate about your work. You were smart. Brilliant. You...you took the reigns of that campaign like it was second nature to you. You were..." He paused as he searched for a sufficient word before settling for one that, he thought, didn't do her enough justice. "Amazing."

"You found your niche in the professional world at a very young age, and you worked your ass off to be the best at it. You _are_ the best at it. Its your life. There isn't anyone that's even close to being compared to Olivia Pope. _Thee_ Olivia Pope." He lit up as he said her name, causing her to slightly blush and tuck her face into her pillow in a bashful manner.

"I say all this because, yeah, I'm a little shocked that we're laying in bed and you're just casually bringing up not going back to that world, your world, any time soon. I knew motherhood would change things, but I didn't think you'd actually give up your career."

Liv took a few seconds thinking over everything that Fitz had just expressed.

"I know I'm bringing it up causally right now, I know that. But I've been thinking about it. A lot, actually. And this is the final decision I keep coming back to. Besides, Jackson and I have had many a conversations about this."

"You two making family decisions without me, huh?"

"Just happy hour talk over milk."

"Cute," Fitz smirked at his wife's humor.

"Really, though, I'm serious. I think last night was the nail in the coffin. That fundraiser just confirmed what I've been thinking. Talking to all of those people about work, and clients, and schedules. Its crazy because I used to run in those circles. It was all I knew. But..." she shrugged while pulling her pillow closer to her body, "it just isn't the same. It doesn't excite me anymore. I don't get that...high from it."

Fitz sat and listened to her as he processed the information.

"And, no. Its not because I'm afraid to leave Jackson with a babysitter if I go back to work."

"You sure?"

"Positive," she raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes to assure him.

"You know, before, when you said my job was my life, my world. You are absolutely right. It was. I lived and breathed it. But, everything's different now. Completely, utterly, fantastically different. Now, I have my family. Jackson, Karen, Jerry, you. All of you. You're what's important to me. You're what I live and breathe for. You're it for me."

Fitz didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure that there was anything to say. Just to sit with his wife, who he had just fallen in love with all over again. Olivia took the moment to reposition herself, sitting next to him against the bed. She wasn't sure how Fitz would take the conversation so she waited patiently for a response.

"Penny for your thoughts," she asked shyly, peeking up at him as she settled in the crook if his underarm.

"I think..." he looked down at his hands as he seemed to be in deep thought, toying with his wedding band. "I think that whatever you want, is what I want." He looked over at Olivia with a warm expression. She had now turned her face towards him, still wrapped in a sheet. "That's what I think."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely."

"You'll be married to a boring housewife now," she teased, her face scrunched with disappointment.

Fitz laughed and shifted himself to lay on his side, leaning on his elbow as he faced her. She mirrored his position. Her arm was propped up and holding her head allowing her long hair to drape down.

"You laugh, Grant. But, that's reality. No more of the high-profile DC fixer that you get to take home every night. I'll just be the mom with paint on her jeans and food in her hair, running Jackson to soccer practice and violin lessons."

"We already had this discussion. Violins are for girls. My boy isn't playing the violin. If he has to play a stringed instrument it's going to be the guitar, or if you're really pushing it then maybe the cello."

"You get the picture."

Fitz smirked and reached out and began rubbing his free hand along her hip and thigh slowly.

"Liv, I want you to be happy. If that means getting rid of your firm, then that's what you should do." He dipped his head to make sure he looked in her eyes. "Okay?"

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me. You don't need my permission to make this decision."

"I know that. Just...thank you for supporting me."

"Of course, baby," he said as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. They shared a simple smile to seal the deal, their fingers now intertwined.

"A single question though..."

"I'm listening."

"How does one sell Pope and Associates?"

"I was actually thinking of seeing if Stephen's interested."

"Finch?"

"He's the only Stephen we know, Fitz."

"True. How could I forget. The guy that was totally in love with you," his comment laced with bitterness.

"Please. We've known each other forever. He was the first one I brought on at Pope and Associates. And he was _not_ totally in love with me."

"Finch," he scoffed. "He was always watching you. It was so obvious, too. Every time I saw him he gave me the evil eye. I swear he was putting an Irish curse on me whenever we were in the same room."

"Okay. First of all, he's Scottish."

"Same difference," he mumbled under his breath.

"Second of all, maybe he wasn't a fan of yours because you always _insisted_ on calling him Finch, even when he asked you not to."

"What's the big deal if I call him by his last name? That's what men do. I call all my friends by their last name."

"Lies," she stated bluntly. "Cyrus and James?"

"They don't count, Liv." She rolled her eyes but followed with smile.

"And, third, it doesn't really matter what you thought of him years ago. He's the only person I can think of that's more than capable to take over and afford to purchase my company in full. Plus, he just moved back to DC. Extra bonus."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why is he back in DC? He's lived on the west coast for years now."

"He divorced Georgia."

"Wow."

"Yup. Apparently he made out like a bandit. She didn't want anything from him."

"How do you even know this?"

"I know people."

"Harrison?"

"Abby. She found out from Harrison, though."

"Of course. Well, set up a meeting. I'll join, naturally."

"Naturally," she said dryly before pursing her lips and squinting at Fitz playfully. "But, that sounds good to me."

She scooted over to Fitz under the sheet and kissed his chest sweetly as he rolled on his back. He pulled her into him, making themselves comfortable.

"My Livvie, taking Jackson to soccer practice. I like that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"So, you being home...Does this mean I can get you pregnant again?"

She smiled while nodding her head "no" slowly at her husbands antics.

"Why not?" He squeezed their bodies together some more. "We really could use some more noise in this house. I want more boys. And a girl."

"Some more boys? And one girl?"

"Yeah. Definitely."

"You do realize that the more kids we have, the less sex we'll have."

"Not true. More kids just means we have to be more imaginative about when and where we do it."

"Right."

"Three more."

"Three?! Fitz, I don't-"

"Two?"

"Let's just get past one year with Jackson. And then we'll talk about the possibility of more. Okay?"

"Deal."

Just then they heard Jackson waking up. He was making his usual early morning sounds, alerting his parents that he was ready for some attention.

"Aaaaaand there it is. I'll go grab him and bring him in for some cuddle time before breakfast," she said.

"I'll get him."

"I called it first, so I get him. That's how this works."

"Liv, let me. You're naked."

"You're naked too."

"But I can throw on some briefs in milliseconds." Fitz rolled her out of the way and put on a pair of underwear from a close-by chair. "Ta-daaa. Magic. I'll be right back with him."

Olivia shook her head at Fitz's antics and laughed as he exited the room. She left the bed to grab one of his tshirts for herself from his walk-in closet. As she looked for a smaller tshirt from his collection Fitz made himself comfortable with his newborn on the bed, sitting with his legs crossed and talking to him.

"Dad's trying to score some more siblings for you, buddy. Doesn't that sound like fun? You want some playmates. Right, Jackson? I'll hook you up with a few more brothers. Enough for a football team. And a little sister to be the princess around here. You can help me spoil her. We just need to convince Mommy. But Dad's good at that. He's a pro. I'll teach you some tricks. My handsome little guy." He held up the chubby baby boy against his face and gave him multiple quick kisses. Just then, he saw Liv turning the closet light off to join them in the bed.

"Who's that? Is that Mommy? Isn't she pretty? The prettiest mommy in the world. Say good-morning momma." He turned Jackson's plump body to face Olivia, resting the baby atop his forearm and against his chest. As he looked up with a cheesy grin he saw Liv standing in the closet doorway holding a short stack of stapled papers in her hand. She studied the information intently and had a look of anger in her face. That of which he hadn't seen in some time. As she looked up to where Fitz and Jackson were resting against the headboard, all she saw was red.

"Fitz, what the _hell_ is this?"

**Gladiators! How are things?! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a fun one to write. I haven't written a scandalous scene like the one in this chapter in a while, so it took a little longer than usual to write. Hopefully it wasn't too over-the-top. Guess its too late now though;) Thanks SO MUCH for the past reviews. I know it sounds silly, but they really do put a smile on my face. I'm not a writer so its good to know others are enjoying my little creation on here. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. I always try to take your comments into consideration when writing the next installment. Until next time!**


	18. Chapter 18

Fitz was genuinely confused. He racked his brain as quickly as he could within those quick few seconds. Each time trying to think of what could possibly have his wife on the verge of World War Three.

"I literally have no idea what you're talking about." His expression was honest as he held Jackson. He didn't understand the problem and was a little irritated at her accusatory tone.

"No idea? So, you have no idea about your itinerary for the next few months? Because, that's what I'm holding in my hands right now. When were you planning on sharing this information, Fitz?"

"Liv," he stood up and walked toward her, shifting Jackson so his head could rest on Fitz's shoulder. He stood close to her so he wasnt raising his voice across the room. His response was calm.

"That's why I don't want you looking at my work. This itinerary hasn't been solidified. It's just a basic layout of my options. And it's not even definite that I'll be the representation on those trips. We're using a team to figure out _if_ and _when_ anyone else can share some of the load."

"_Again_, when were you going to talk to me about it?"

"_Again_, when I actually had some plans set in stone," he said before letting out a sharp exhalation. "I feel like I'm getting in trouble, and it's not even nine in the morning."

"You're a grown man, Fitz. I'm your wife, not your boss. If you feel like you're getting in trouble maybe you've done something to feel that way."

She turned to put the papers back in the closet. When she walked back out she stood her ground again, directly in front of Fitz, still wearing one of his Georgetown tshirts that was long enough to reach her mid-thigh. Her arms were crossed in front of her body, only moving to make hand gestures that showed how furious she was. Between that and her neck moving every so often Fitz was getting the hint.

"I haven't done anything wrong," he said plainly. "You're freaking out over stupid pieces of paper that-"

"Can I ask you something?" Liv cut him off mid-sentence, not caring if it came across as rude or not. He didn't even bother responding the way he wanted to regarding her question.

"Do you think not telling your wife that she'll be home alone with your newborn son for weeks at a time is an issue? A tad bit _selfish_, maybe?" She asked him the question, her voice attempting to sound controlled but failing miserably.

He stared at her, his jaw tight as he fought back saying something stupid.

"Hello? Fitz? Honestly, I'm curious."

Jackson started to get restless and Fitz repositioned him as he cradled the baby in his harms. He was mad at Olivia for acting like this after the perfect night they had and their relaxed morning thus far. But, he made one more attempt to diffuse the fire.

"I was going to talk to you when I had something to talk about. If you weren't being_ Olivia P.I._ we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now. That document was in my work bag. Which means you were going through it-not that I have anything to hide. Either way, your work is your business, apparently you think mine is too!"

His plan backfired as the words flowed out of his mouth with hints of sarcasm and aggravation. She stared at him, her anger written all over her face. They were both breathing deeply and each refused to back down from their staring contest.

"Give him to me."

"What?"

"Give me the baby," she said shifting her eyes to Jackson, putting her hands out and motioning towards herself. "He needs to be nursed."

"Fine. Come to the bed and do it in here."

"No."

"Yes," he said firmly, locking eyes with her to assure her that he was serious.

"No," she said in the sweetest voice possible,"I'm doing it in his nursery."

"So, now I'm getting punished," he said bitterly.

"Punished?!" The sweetness disappeared and the anger was back.

"Fitz, what else do you think- you know what. We need to do this when we're alone. I'm nursing him in his room." She cautiously grabbed Jackson from Fitz's arms and gently patted his back as he settled against her body. "We'll talk later." She turned to walk out of the bedroom.

"Then I'm going out."

She turned back around to face him, now separated by the spacious bedroom.

"Oh really?" She said, her facial expression daring for him to give the wrong response.

"Yeah. I can go workout, right? Is that okay with you? Do I need a permission slip for that?"

He was being a smartass and he knew it. The house they had just built was on enough property that they also had a personal gym. So, even though he was technically leaving the house, he was within short walking distance to his final destination, never having to leave the grounds.

Olivia rolled her eyes with disgust.

"Whatever. Do whatever the hell you want." She turned back around and walked down the hall with a clueless Jackson in tow.

"I will," he said under his breath out of Olivia's earshot, or so he thought.

"Go for it!" She yelled from the hallway.

"I will!"

* * *

After Fitz's extreme workout he was back in the house sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen. He still wasn't completely over how their morning had gone. His cellphone was out as he checked emails and ate from the fruit bowl in front of him.

Olivia walked in moments later on her way to the laundry room with a basket of clothes. She had taken a shower and was wearing long black yoga pants and a fitted grey racerback shirt. Her bangs were swooped to the side, out of her face. She preferred them out of the way when she did house work. The rest of her hair was in a loose poinytail at the bottom of her neck and looked wavy, as it always managed to do on rainy days.

When she saw a post-workout Fitz sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen she couldn't help but put the basket of clothes down and walk over to him. He could feel her looming right behind him but made no moves to talk or even acknowledge her presence. So she stood there, inches from his back before she spoke.

"I wasn't going through your stuff. This morning, I mean. I was reaching for one of your tshirts, tripped over your bag, and some papers fell out. Your itinerary just happened to be on top."

"Whatever, Liv. That's...not even," he sighed and slowed his thoughts,"just forget it."

He took another bite from his apple still not moving from his place, refusing to give Olivia attention.

"Not 'whatever'," she said simply. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that-"

"I'm thinking that you jump down my throat about things before I even get to explain. I'm thinking that if I had information, I would have told you. And I'm thinking that I shouldn't have to tell you my _every_ move."

Olivia stood in place and thought for a moment about what he had just said. She cautiously continued the conversation, accepting that she would be talking to his back until she apologized.

"Fitz, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making you feel like I was jumping down your throat. I saw the dates with the words Honk Kong and Johannesburg and I flipped. And as far as the other thing, you know I'm not the type that wants to know you're every move. So that one isn't exactly fair."

"Maybe," he mumbled as he shrugged his shoulders defeatedly. He was worn out, mostly from his workout partly from their argument, but low on energy nonetheless. She just wanted to touch him, to make everything alright.

"Maybe?" Olivia closed the gap between the two of them and stood so her body was just barely touching his back. "You're not going to make this one easy for me are you?" She watched him for a second but when he didn't respond she delicately grazed her nails from his shoulders down to his lower back. When her hands were low enough she rested them on either side of his waist pressing her hips into him. His body didn't initially soften to her so she pressed her chest into his back and leaned forward laying a slow, sweet kiss against the nape of his neck.

"Come on, Liv, no. Don't kiss me like that." He spoke with a firmness in his voice but didn't make any physical attempts to get her to stop. Olivia pouted to herself at his stubbornness.

"But, I said I'm sorry," she said in a faint and whiny voice, laying another slow kiss against the same spot. She knew that each kiss was breaking down that walls that he had put up from the argument. When she noticed he wasn't pushing her away she kissed him again. This time angling her face so she was kissing him just under his ear.

"Liv, come on, stop." His tone was a little lighter.

"You stop," she said quietly as she gave one last kiss under his ear, this one with a tiny pull from her teeth before holding her mouth over the same spot with an open mouthed kiss.

Fitz's lips turned into a small smirk and even though he wasn't facing her she could tell he wasn't angry anymore. As she grinned against his neck he smiled a little wider. His arms lowered to rest against hers which were now fully wrapped around his waist. He let out a labored sigh.

"That itinerary you saw was a project for the interns. It was busy work. Yes, over the next ten to twelve months I'll be taking some big trips, but I'm in the process of getting it all figured out."

"Okay," she said, as if she hadn't completely lost it over the same topic just a few hours earlier.

"It's a really good scholarship, Liv. Under-privileged students from all over the world will have access to it. It's worth wherever I'll have to go. But, trust me, I'm making sure I won't be traveling the world while my family is here without me."

They remained together in that position for a moment of silence, Liv holding him as she rested her cheek against his firm back.

"Fitzgerald Grant?"

"Hm?"

"How is it that I can want to break your neck one minute, and want to make love to you the next?"

He laughed to himself a little.

"I don't really know. But trust me when I say I feel the same way."

She slapped him against his head playfully with her much smaller hand, still keeping one arm wrapped around his body.

"Ouch!" he said before he turned around and stood up in front of her. "Well, I don't wanna break your neck. That's something only thugs say," he teased and smirked at her as she mirrored his expression.

He kissed her forehead and pulled her body into his. Her head now rested on the front of his body.

"But you do drive me crazy, woman," he said, kissing her temple. His hands rubbed soothingly up and down her back as their bodies melded together.

"Somehow we make it work, though. Right?"

"Always."

* * *

Months had gone by and Olivia and Fitz were enjoying their life as a new family. Olivia contacted Stephen to make plans regarding her firm. The three of them set up a simple lunch meeting where plans were made to transition the company to Stephens ownership. It went smoothly as they agreed on a modest timetable to move Olivia out of the position as the official force behind Pope and Associates.

While solidifying Olivia's future business plans the Grant Trio decided to make a trip to visit Fitz's family in California. It was a peaceful vacation for everyone. Jackson was spoiled rotten as they newest addition to the family. Even Big Gerry, who never appeared to have a soft spot in his body, was infatuated with his youngest grandson. It seemed to be a badge of honor that he could bring his chunky, biracial grandson around with him to the social events and business affairs.

Genevieve Grant was especially smitten by Jackson. She was still suffering from sickness due to all of the treatments she was receiving since her cancer diagnosis. Her body was frail and her hair virtually nonexistent, but something about holding her happy and playful grandson practically gave her new life. Fitz would sit on the outside deck of the ranch and watch from a distance as his youngest enjoyed quiet moments with Grandma G, as she insisted on being called.

Fitz and Olivia had business to take care of back on the East Coast so the trip was short-lived. Once back home, they jumped right into their routine. Fitz working hard to keep things moving regarding the scholarship program, Liv using a day here or there to visit her office and tie up loose ends of paperwork.

The time had arrived for the first of Fitz's trips. A day before he left Olivia decided to spend time at the office, acknowledging the fact that she couldn't leave Jackson while Fitz was away. After a tiring day of paperwork and boxing old files, she finally made her way home.

As she walked in the front door she noticed that the house was eerily quiet. Everything was dark except for flickers of light that seemed to be coming from the kitchen. She walked towards the room and soon noticed that Fitz had planned a large dinner with candles as the only lighting for their meal. She smiled brightly and bit her bottom lip as she took in the thoughtfulness of her husband.

"What's this?" Liv asked as she walked into the dining room with her jacket on and bags still in tow. She took off her shoes and began discarding her items from the day in a pile by the wall. Fitz looked at her across the room and gave his famous charming smile.

"Just a little going away dinner for Mommy," he said as he placed the final dish on the table.

"You didn't have to do this," she said with a tired smile, walking closer to Fitz and Jackson near the wooden rectangular dinner table.

"We wanted to. Right, Jackson?" They both turned their attention to the plump baby.

"Is that so? How's my little boy?" she leaned down to the highchair and gave Jackson a kiss against his cheek.

"Mommy missed you like crazy today," she said as she lovingly cupped his face with her hands. She couldn't help but give him another kiss. His slobber was all over the place as he smiled widely and let out a high pitched squeal in excitement. Fitz and Olivia simultaneously laughed at him.

"Ahhhhh," Olivia pretended to mimic Jackson's reaction with a silly face and sound, which made him let out another squeal. She could play this game with him for hours, which she had done plenty of times before.

"Not to sound greedy, but can I get some smooches from Mommy?" Fitz asked as he stood behind her, gently rocking back and forth on his feet, with his hands now in his pockets.

"And how's my cute big boy?" She turned around and walked closer to Fitz, reaching up on her toes for a sweet kiss. He took his hands out to cradle Olivia's face gently.

"I'm just fine," he said against her lips.

"You're showing off with this fancy meal, Grant."

"Yup," he said, slowly breaking apart from her to pull out a chair for her to sit at the table. "We worked very hard on this dinner. Right, kiddo?"

The baby stared back blankly with his large light-brown eyes, sucking on Cheerios that Fitz had laid out on his highchair.

"That's his way of saying yes." Both of them laughed while looking at Jackson's expressionless demeanor at the moment.

They sat down to start eating. Liv had a feeling that Fitz was planning a big meal like this for his last night before his trip. She noticed random recipes all over the house throughout the week. And while she was at Pope and Associates that day, Fitz kept calling to see when she would be home. The three of them enjoyed the large meal, listening to music in the background and talking about Fitz's schedule for the next two weeks. After dessert the room quieted, everyone exhausted from the day.

"I'm going to miss you," she said with a sweet smile, reaching out to graze his hand with her fingertips. "We're both going to miss you."

He lifted his hand so their fingers could play with one another's.

"Me too. But, I'll be back before you know it."

She let out a sigh as she took a sip of her wine and stared at the glass. Fitz knew she was thankful for the dinner but as he watched her demeanor throughout the evening she looked a little off. Maybe she was just tired, he thought. He couldn't let his suspicions go until he knew she was okay. Just as he was about to ask her what she was thinking one of his favorite songs came one the speaker system.

"Hey," he whispered to catch her eyes. "Come here."

He stood up and extended his hand. She looked at his hand, with a sad look, but gave in by putting hers out. Fitz slowly pulled her up from her chair, closing the gap between their bodies. He held her tightly with one arm around her waist, holding her hand with the other, as he began swaying to the music playing. Her head immediately relaxed against the faint thump of his heartbeat.

"This is the perfect song to dance to tonight. You know which one this is?"

"Mmmmm. You're right. It is," she said against his chest.

He began singing to her in his baritone voice, his head lowered so she could hear him quietly against her ear.

_I'll be seeing you_

_In every lovely summers day_

_I'll always think of you that way_

"I love when you sing," she whispered as they slow danced in a circle.

He continued to serenade her quietly. Almost so faintly now that she couldn't hear him. They moved together gently, listening to the song until it was finishing. The last few lines were Fitz's favorite and always reminded him of Olivia.

_I'll find you i__n the morning sun_

_And when the night is new_

_Ill be looking at the moon_

_But I'll be seeing you_

She leaned back slowly causing them to halt their movements and become lost in one another's gaze. Fitz's hand on her lower back, his other hand intertwining their fingers near his shoulder. They stared at each other saying "I love you" and "I'll miss you" a thousand times over without actually speaking.

"You want to see something hilarious?" He said with a smirk on his face.

"What?" Olivia furrowed her eyebrows as she had no idea what he was talking about.

"Look at your son," he whispered closely to her face while grinning.

As she turned her attention to the high chair she couldn't help but laugh into Fitz's chest as her arms wrapped around his midsection.

"Jackson Grant, the party animal," Fitz laughingly joked as he planted a kiss atop Liv's head and squeezed her into him with both arms.

Their baby, who was usually full of energy and excitement, was slouched over to the side, almost lifeless, completely knocked out as he slept. He had his carrot sauce smeared all over his naturally tanned skin and simultaneous Cheerios stuck to parts of his face.

"He's like the poster-child for getting baby food wasted."

Fitz busted out laughing at his wife's joke, holding her tighter than before.

"I'll hose him down. You can take a shower if you want. Or go to bed. It's up to you."

"I'll grab these dishes first."

"Nope. I'm on dishes duty too. Just relax."

"Pulling out all the stops tonight, huh. In that case I'll shower. Then bed."

"That works."

"I want cuddle time, too."

"I'm on it. Give me thirty minutes. I'm in there like swimwear."

Liv gave him a look, embarrassed for him at his corny comment.

"No?"

"No."

* * *

During Fitz's first week away he was terribly busy with travel and work. Olivia wasn't sure if Fitz would get a chance to call each evening but to her surprise, halfway through his trip, he did. She was comfortably lounging in her bed, her back propped up by multiple pillows as she picked up her phone.

"What's my baby momma up to?" She smiled at his nickname for her before responding.

"Hi to you, too. And when are you going to stop calling me that?"

"Never," he said simply, his feet kicked up on the desk in his temporary office. "What are you doing?"

"It's after midnight here, so what do you think? I'm in bed reading. You know I can't fall asleep easily when you're not here."

"Aw. My girl misses me. And you're in bed. Are you naked?"

"Even better. Sweatpants, a tshirt, no bra, and a glass of wine. Your son is already knocked out. He looks so cute in his pajamas."

"You have him in our bed, don't you."

"He's adorably sleeping on your side, surrounded by pillows."

"That's not fair," Fitz complained.

"You sound like a whiny five year-old."

"Well it isn't fair," he protested, not caring if he was whining or not. "Why do you let him in the bed when I'm not there? As soon as I even mention letting him sleep with us you act like it's the unforgivable sin."

"Because you, Fitzgerald Grant, have no self-control. If I let him sleep in the bed for one night, you're going to push for two nights, then three. Next thing you know, we have an eleven-year old kicking me in my ribs at two forty-five in the morning. For that reason, these nights are saved for when you're gone. Special sleepy times for Mommy and Jackson."

"I want sleepy times right now," he said, feeling sorry for himself.

"Maybe when you get back we'll work something out."

"Good. But I'm also going to need dirty, naked times when I get back." Fitz just had to add that last special request.

"That can and will be arranged."

"Mmmm. I miss you."

"I miss you too. Shouldn't you be working? It's the middle of the day there."

"You're right," he said as he straightened himself up and placed his feet on the ground. "I just wanted to say goodnight to my girl and my boy. So, good night, Olivia Pope-Grant. And give Jackson a kiss for me. I love you."

"Love you more. Get back to work. I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye."

She ended the call and traded the phone for her glass of red wine and book from the nightstand. Just as she turned the pages to find where she left off her phone began buzzing. She looked at the screen and laughed as she answered.

"To what do I owe this more than late night phone call? Don't tell me you're backing out of the deal now."

"O-livia!" She snapped her head back at the unexpected loud voice on the other end.

"Stephen, why are you yelling?" She asked, slightly amused.

"I really don't know," he said, suddenly sounding exhausted. He cleared his voice and took it down a few notches. "Is this better?"

"Much."

"You missed the party," he complained.

Stephen had gone out to celebrate his official new ownership of Pope and Associates. He took everyone for food and drinks including the original crew from Olivia's firm, and also a few new lawyers he brought onto the team.

"Oh yeah. I forgot this evening was your big celebration. Sorry. You know Fitz is out of town. So I had a standing date with the munchkin tonight."

"Olivia Pope, the mum," Stephen said in the sweetest voice possible before switching to a serious voice, slightly slurring his words."You know, I could've used a beautiful woman like you by my side this evening."

"You're so drunk right now," she chuckled.

"Maybe I am. But it's true! These other girls could learn a few things from you."

"Yeah, okay," Olivia brushed off his comment, reaching to put down her almost finished glass of wine.

"They could, Liv! How to be smart, and off the charts sexy all in one."

"That's very kind. But, Stephen, you should-"

"Mr. President, over there, got lucky with you. He got the only good girl in town. If I was smart, and not so afraid at the time, I would've taken you for myself. Can't say I didn't think about it."

Olivia's eyebrows raised and her eyes went wide as she processed his drunken confession. It made her slightly uncomfortable, no matter how nonchalantly he was talking. Trying not to dwell on what he just said, she decided to let him off the hook before he truly embarrassed himself.

"Okay, I'm going to go now," she said in a friendly manner.

"No, Liv! Talk to me. How are you? What are you wearing? I'm sure whatever it is you look hot as hell, as always. Your ass in itself is-"

Olivia's entire body shot forward and she cut him off.

"Okay! I'm hanging up!" She didn't have the heart to end the conversation before making sure he really was okay. "You're in a cab, right? You better not be driving."

"I'm in a cab, Liv. You're too good to me."

"It's nothing. I'll see you and the rest of the crew later. Take it easy Stephen."

She tapped the red tab on her screen to end the phone call. Before she even thought of putting her phone down she texted Bradford.

**OP: The most bazaar thing just happened**

**BE: Hmmmmm...OPG is texting me in the middle of the night...on a weekend...Is this a prank or real life?**

**OP: Real life**

Her phone screen immediately lit up with a recent goofy picture of Bradford holding Jackson. He was calling her. Before she could even think of greeting him he began talking.

"And just when I start complaining to myself about my night being boring I get a cryptic text message from Americas number one fixer."

"You complain too much anyway," she fired back jokingly."And I used to hold that title. I'm sure some overeager protégé has claimed it by now."

"Its only been a few months. Don't make me start a list for you of your absurd cases. That would take hours of my life that I'd never get back." Liv shook her head and laughed to herself at his dramatic statement.

"Anywho, you have a story, remember?" Bradford's tone was dripping with desire for a piece of scandalous information.

"Right. Stephen just called me."

"Stephen called you. Thats your story? Somebody, stop the press!" he feigned urgency before using a lifeless, monotone voice. "Call me back when it involves drugs, sex, and/or rock and roll."

"You're very high maintenance, you know that?"

"I've been called worse."

"Back to my story, before I was rudely interrupted. I failed to mention he was drunk."

"Hmph. You don't say...And the plot thickens." Bradford took a second to think. Olivia could practically hear his wheels turning. "So, what? He professed his undying love for you?"

"Great. Not you too."

"My dear pal, Fitzgerald, picked up on it also, eh?"

"There's nothing to pick up on!" Liv sounded defensive, finishing off one last swig of her wine.

"Really? How about you finish this story then. Since there's nothing to pick up on."

"Smartass," she mumbled.

"Story!"

She replayed the random phone call in perfect detail for Bradford. As soon as she finished the play-by-play he was ready to give his two cents.

"Stephens going to get his ass kicked by that deliciously strapping, six-foot plus, world famous husband of yours. Believe that. I remember how possessive Fitzgerald Grant the Third gets of his little chocolate morsel."

Olivia let out a loud, uncontrolled laugh, forgetting that Jackson was sleeping right next to her. She abruptly halted her outburst with he hand over her mouth and looked over at him. As he fidgeted a little she watched to see if her obnoxious response had pulled him from his slumber. From the looks of it, he was still asleep.

"You laugh, Olivia. But you clearly don't recall that time, oh, I don't know, four or five years ago, when we went to that brand new exclusive lounge in DC. You were in that sexy white minidress that fit you like a glove. And we were in the top VIP, just having some drinks, looking posh, enjoying people watching."

"I remember that night quite clearly."

"That rich, incredibly sexy, tanned, tall, body of the Gods, smile of the devil, hands of an angel, legs of-"

"Brad!" She whispered curtly to get his attention.

"What?! He was beautiful...But, I digress. I'm referring to that Israeli oil tycoon...I can't remember his name. But he's an heir to his fathers oil business. Anyway, you walked by his table to use the bathroom or something and he reached out and touched you to get your attention. Clearly, the man had seen something he liked. But Lord, Jesus, I swear to all that is good and holy. Your sweet, ivy-league trained boyfriend flew across that room in a matter of seconds. I've never seen him so mouthy in my life! He practically jumped through that mans security detail to give him a piece of his mind."

"God, I was so mad at him for acting like that."

"I guess he was feeling daring. It was after his presidency and he had a couple drinks in his system. At one point during the altercation I think your blue-eyed stud actually believed he was going to kill that man."

"Fitz insisted that it was all a direct insult to him. First of all, that guy had no idea who I was. He just saw a new woman walk by and wanted my attention. And second, he was handsome but he wasn't my type, at all. Fitz lost his shit that night." She cringed at the fact that she cursed in front of Jackson, looking at him again with momentary guilt, but she quickly recovered after accepting that he was asleep and wasn't listening anyway.

"All I know is that you two left immediately. And when I came over the next morning for brunch you were walking with an extra hitch in your step and quite the smirk on your face. I remember in the kitchen," he laughed under his breath wickedly. "Oh lord, honey. I just KNEW that man must've worn you out the night before. Because I took one look at you while you reached up for a plate and it looked like a vampire trailed marks from your stomach, straight down to your-"

"Bradford,"she stopped him before he got too carried away,"I said I remember."

"Mmmhm. Then you remember that you couldn't keep your hands or lips off of him that morning. So I'm assuming after that quick run-in with Prince Alibaba the night before, Mr. President must have put quite the spell on you."

Liv bit her bottom lip as she laid back and allowed her mind to play quick flashbacks of that nights naughty highlights.

"You have no idea," she said, her voice having dropped a few pitches.

Fitz's large hands, his perfect mouth, his strong arms, and solid body. Possessive was an understatement for how he had reacted. The anger they both felt turned into one the most passionate nights they ever shared. She shook her head to focus back to her present situation.

"Back to my absurd phone call this evening. I'm not telling Fitz. I can't."

"What? Why not?"

"Because, as you so eloquently put it, Fitz will kick his ass. And who knows what else. He never liked Stephen."

"Sweetie, you are the smartest woman I know. Hands down. But, sometimes, your decisions baffle me. They truly do. However, and this might sound terrible but it's true, I don't want to be too critical of your not-so-smart moments. Otherwise, I'd have no bedtime stories to listen to."

"I'm glad my life decisions contribute to your daily entertainment."

"Me too, trust me. How's my godson, anyway?"

She looked over to Fitz's side of the bed where Jackson had made himself comfortable.

"He's in bed with me right now. Sleeping. Looking incredibly cute. And chubby. He wheezes in his sleep, you know. It's so funny."

"I gotta say, he is one hefty kid. What kind of milk has he been drinking that makes him so big? Your breasts must have special powers."

"My husband tends to think so," she grinned at her sassy yet true statement.

"Feisty. I like it. Good one, Pope."

"Thanks. Changing subjects. For Fitz's next trip, you're still coming to stay with me, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes," he responded sounding irritated. "How many times are you going to ask me? It's not for another couple of months."

"I was just checking. Jeeze! Okay, I'm going to sleep. Thanks for the chat."

"As always, my love. Goodnight. Give the ever so handsome Jackson Oliver Grant my best. Love you, Liv."

"Love you too. Night."

"Night."

Olivia sat and laughed to herself at yet another funny conversation on the books with Bradford. She tossed her phone on her bedside nightstand and looked down at Jackson who was still sleeping peacefully against Fitz's pillows. He was wearing a white tshirt and grey cotton pajama pants. She dressed him like Fitz for bed on purpose. It always made her smile. His dark hair just as soft and curly as his dads. He looked like a starfish with how he was sleeping on his back, all of his limbs stretched out. His little potbelly rising and lowering with every breath.

"Mommy's going to sleep," she whispered as she lowered her body to lay on her side next to him.

"Here's one kiss from me," she leaned over and kissed his chubby cheek. "And here's another kiss from Daddy. We love you. Sweet dreams, handsome boy."

Liv watched him sleep while she drifted off. She wasn't sure what her last thought was, but as she dozed her mind kept going back to one thing: that ridiculous phone call from Stephen Finch.

**Gladiators! What is happening in the world?! I am too invested in this recent KW news, but I figured an update for this story might help. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your reviews! Seriously, thank you SO MUCH! I love knowing that people are looking forward to more chapters. As I always say, it inspires me to update regularly. So, until next time! **


	19. Chapter 19

"Come to bed," she whispered in his ear as she bent down from behind couch.

"I'm almost finished."

Fitz was up in the late night hours surrounded by papers and folders as he prepared for his next business trip. This would be the longest one yet for the new scholarship foundation at Georgetown. He was busy all week getting ready at his office but decided to bring his work home on this particular evening. Their typically tidy living room had papers sprawled across the coffee table and couch where he made himself comfortable. He had his brown reading glasses on and was still wearing his clothes from the workday, substituting his collared shirt for a white undershirt.

Olivia would normally let him take care of his important business until he was finished, but she was genuinely lonely in bed. And if she was being honest, a little bored. She casually walked around the couch and placed herself in his lap, straddling his waist and moving his paperwork to the side for a moment of his attention.

"It's lonely in there without my yummy husband with me," she quietly stated as she leaned in for a simple kiss against his lips, and one on his chin.

Fitz's body relaxed as he rested his hands on her hips and gently pulled her closer to him. She took that moment to take off his glasses and place them on top of her hair, holding back her bangs. She slanted her face to begin softly kissing his neck in his favorite spot while her nails grazed his chin. His eyes immediately drifted shut as she touched and kissed him perfectly.

"Your yummy husband has loads of paperwork to catch up on," he lazily replied.

"My yummy husband can catch up on paperwork, after I finish showing him how much I've missed him," she said against his skin.

"Livvie," he spoke softly as he let her kiss his neck torturously slowly with his eyes still closed.

Olivia leaned back to look at him. He looked so tired. He had circles under his eyes and probably hadn't shaved in two or three days. His hair looked unruly as if he had been running his hands though it all night. She lovingly held onto his chin and tilted his face up slightly making sure her eyes reached his.

"Come to bed so I can make love to you."

"Liv, I-"

She cut him off placing her index finger against his lips. "I'm not too proud to beg Fitzgerald. I want you. Right now."

"You are very distracting, you know that?" He said with a smirk, tugging her body quickly. As her face jerked closely towards his he snapped his teeth together pretending that he was going to bite her lips.

She giggled and settled against his chest, letting her head rest on his shoulder. His arms raised up her back so that he could hold her firmly and rub circles through her thin camisole.

"You do know you haven't been inside me in over a week, right?" She mumbled as she rested against him.

"I'm aware."

"A week. As in, more than seven days."

"I know. And, I'm sorry. Things are just getting-"

She leaned back with her head to the side and an eyebrow raised. Her nails were slowly grazing his nipples through his tshirt. Fitz knew what she was trying to do. And it was actually kind of working.

"Is it possible you may have forgotten how good it feels?" Her eyes had a spark in them, a playful dare to get him to see things her way.

Fitz couldn't deny his wife's sexiness. But sometimes she was just plain old cute. Olivia always made him smile, no matter how exhausted he was. He brought both hands to hold her face.

"Theres no way that could happen. And, I'm very, very sorry. Between the trip coming up and work. Getting prepared for that. And the whole Karen thing, too. My mind is all over the place."

Olivia knew that everything he was saying was true. He was determined that things be perfect as the scholarship was finally getting off the ground. He had doctors appointments to insure he was up to date on his immunizations before he flew to Africa. And the Karen issue popped up unexpectedly.

She had decided to visit Fitz's mom on a short trip. Unfortunately, during the few days she was in California, her grandmother had a very bad episode. An apparent side effect to her treatments. Karen was always closest with her grandmother. Watching the woman she loved so dearly battle such a serious sickness was an emotional roller coaster. But, Fitz did everything in his power to be a source of comfort for his only daughter. They would spend the days texting back and forth, and the nights talking on the phone or using Skype. Although he thought nothing of the fact that he was being pulled in various directions, Olivia could tell it was beginning to catch up to him.

"Can I take a raincheck? I promise I'll come straight to bed when I finish up."

She smiled at him but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Sure," she responded rubbing his chest gently for a moment and climbing off of him, careful not to touch any of the papers surrounding them.

"Livvie," he said sounding disappointed in himself more than anything. She took the glasses from atop her head and handed them back to him.

"Its okay. Really. I understand, I do."

Fitz reached out to hold her hand as she stood in front of him. She cupped the side of his face and he kissed the inside of her palm.

"I promise I'll make it up to you."

"I know."

"I'll do that thing that you like, too."

She chuckled knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"I get to pick the song then."

"Okay." He gave her hand another kiss before letting it go. She ran her fingers through her messy, wavy bed hair to clear it from her face.

"Okay. Well I'm going to bed," she said as she walked behind the couch to exit the room. Fitz turned his upper body and watched. He had to smile at himself watching his petite wife exit the room.

"I'll be there in a bit. Don't wanna be too tired for hundreds of screaming kids and the smell of animals tomorrow."

They were bringing Jackson to the Washington Zoo for his first time.

"Very funny," she said looking over her shoulder still walking out of the room. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Hey, Liv."

She stopped and turned around to look look at him.

"I love you. Sleep tight."

"I love you, too. Night."

* * *

"Stop it. What are you doing?"

"Baby, he's sleeping. Come on. Just let me-"

"No," Olivia said through giggling laughter as she tried to shift out of his reach. She grabbed his wrist and squeezed it tightly trying to use any tactic to get him to stop.

"You know it doesn't hurt when you do that, right?" Fitz teased as he continued driving their black SUV on their way home from the Zoo. He wore a fitted light-blue V-neck T-shirt and dark blue jeans. Olivia couldn't deny that he looked sexy while his strong hand moved higher and higher up her thigh.

"Fitz," she sang in a sweet voice, attempting to reason with her clearly unreasonable husband."Our son doesn't need to wake up to us having grown-up time."

"Grown-up time?" He would have made fun of her choice of words, but he was a man on a mission."You knew what you were doing when you wore this outfit today."

"It's a grey maxi dress made of jersey. You're acting like I'm wearing lingerie."

"You might as well be," he said adamantly, never taking his eyes from the road. "Plus, you have your hair up. So, of course I've been tempted to kiss your neck all day. And have you seen your ass in this dress?"

"Language," she warned.?

"He," his hand squeezed her thigh,"is," another squeeze but higher, "asleep." Fitz's hand slowly made its way to the juncture of her hip and leg but she attempted to lightly swat it away.

"He can still hear what's happening around him," she pointedly reminded him.

Fitz slowed down as they approached a red light. As soon as the car was at a complete stop he lifted his aviator sunglasses to get a good look at his wife and gave her a charming grin. Olivia knew that look of his, but continued to play difficult.

"What?" Her tone sounded irritated but he knew better than to believe it. She stared at him not able to hold back the smile creeping at the corner of her mouth.

"Give me a quick taste of those sexy lips." He was opting for the direct approach now.

"What has gotten into-"

"Hurry. Before the light turns green."

Olivia smiled widely and didn't move but instead made him lean over the center console to reach her. Fitz used his left hand to hold her cheek firmly as his lips touched hers slowly and softly. Light as a feather. He traced the tip of his tongue along her lower lip and she opened her mouth more, inviting him in. He deepened the kiss, using his hand to hold her face with more control. The gentle force he used to reach his tongue as far back as he could was perfect. Olivia subconsciously let out a moan at how good he felt. Her head tilted slightly to change the angle of their lips.

It was her time to taste now. She slipped her tongue past his lips, gliding it across the roof of his warm mouth. She loved the familiar taste of him. His mouth always felt perfect to her. Olivia caught his bottom lip between her front teeth and tugged gently. Fitz slightly opened his eyes and let out an airy laugh as she bit him. She began pecking the same spot on his mouth sweetly with her full lips.

Just as she lifted a hand to touch his face, a loud sound jolted them from their kiss. Apparently, at some point, the light turned green and the drivers behind them were getting restless.

Fitz pulled back and chuckled as he focused on the road again to drive. He licked his mouth and bit down on his lower lip, reaching over to hold her hand and intertwine their fingers.

"Mrs. Grant," he said proudly with a devilish grin as he drove and made a turn down a small road.

She smirked and stared at her husbands profile in wonderment of his natural sexiness.

"You are one hot man."

"Glad you think so," he said, lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles, ending with a gentle kiss against her wedding band and ring.

"You really need to get me home and finish what you just started."

He nodded his head in the direction of Jackson's carseat, "If we hadn't picked up this stowaway at the zoo, I'd pull over right now and have you hop in this drivers seat with me. Let you take a little ride, if you catch my drift."

"Oh I'm catching it. And in about," she looked down at her watch, "twenty minutes you'll be getting that ride. Trust me."

Fitz groaned and gently tossed his head back against the chairs headrest before letting out a sigh.

"I love our son. He makes me happier than I thought possible. But, he's seriously killing my game right now."

"I would argue that point, but he is definitely the only reason this car is still in drive," she said, playing with his fingers against hers. He pouted at the same realization. "Speaking of which, why aren't we on the highway anymore?"

"I told you I wanted to pick up that cheesecake before we go home."

"I said I'd pick one up for you during the week. It's really no problem."

"Nope. There's a certain technique to choosing the right one. Believe me, I trust you with everything in my life. But, this cheesecake? No, ma'am. This is serious business."

"Yeah, okay," she gave a look as she rolled her eyes and shook her head at his odd addiction.

They pulled up to a tiny hole in the wall bakery that Fitz had been purchasing cheesecake from since his presidency. He'd been their number one fan for years now.

"Tom and Mary's Bakery," he said in complete contentment as he undid his seatbelt. "This place. It just doesn't get any better."

He had become very familiar with the owners, Tom and Mary. As their children and grandchildren kept the business going through the years, Fitz continued to support them whenever he could.

"Hang tight. I'll be fast, I promise," he said as he hopped out of the car. The agents in the car following them arranged themselves with two inside the bakery and two waiting on either side of the SUV to stay with Olivia and Jackson.

She waited there patiently opting to check emails and the news on her cellphone. In a matter of a few quick minutes Fitz was back in the car, empty handed.

"They run out of cheesecake?" She teased looking a little confused.

He didn't respond, instead maintaining a blank expression as he froze in the drivers seat.

"Dont tell me you couldn't find one worthy of your money,"she joked playfully, leaning forward to get a better look at his face.

She noticed he was now blinking rapidly with his eyebrows furrowed, and still not responding to her. Something was wrong.

"Fitz?"

He finally snapped out of it.

"We need to get to the house," he said seriously as he fastened his safety belt and drove off heading for the interstate.

"What? Did something-"

"Get our lawyer on the phone. I mean, no. Not the lawyer..." He began rambling.

"What?" She shook her head trying to make sense of what he was saying.

"The travel agent. Suzanne? Suzanne. The number's in my cell. Call her. Tell her we need a private flight. Today."

"Fitz, whats going on? What happened in-"

"Liv," he paused still trying to process the information himself. "Big Jerry just called...it's my mom."

* * *

Olivia felt like she was swimming. Like she was swimming in a sea of black. No matter what room she was standing in, or what corner she turned around, thats all she saw. Black. But, that's to be expected when you're attending a funeral. This one was no different.

Although this one, the funeral of Genevieve "Ginny" Grant, did have its own distinct feeling. The service and gathering afterwards had the same tradition as any other. But this one had an extra variable to the equation. It was more of a political convention; the who's who of both Democratic and Republican parties. All attendees "mourning a loss", as small meetings are held in dimly lit corners, business plans are discussed, and handshakes are shared on future plans involving the progress of this great nation.

This funeral carried the same burden that had always been attached to the Grants. The push and pull between attempting to keep a "normal" family dynamic while still accepting the fact that they are anything but. The extra dynamic-that of being from a political family-couldn't be ignored, especially when something as tragic as death occurred. The only difference between this memorial service and a fundraiser was the politicians knew to substitute their expensive tuxedos and gowns for equally expensive suits and sheath dresses.

Olivia, herself, opted for a fashionable black pant suit to wear. She figured it would be easier to manage any mini-crisis with Jackson in pants rather than a skirt or dress. She walked through the house and looked in between the sea of black in attempt to find her husband and son. The entire Grant Estate had been open to the hundreds of guests following the funeral service. So, room after room, she looked in between the massive groups of people for her boys. When she couldn't spot them she opted to search elsewhere. Chances were that Jackson was getting restless, and Fitz took him for a walk to diffuse the situation. As she made her way outside the back kitchen door her eyes scanned the pool surroundings. It was then that looked across the water and noticed Fitz holding Jackson in one arm, and a drink in the other as they leisurely snuck inside the pool house.

"There my boys are," she said sweetly closing the door behind her.

Fitz looked up from the ground where he had set Jackson up with some toys. His parents were intent on spoiling their youngest grandson, so they decided that the pool house would also be a fun place to collect toys and train sets for Jackson. So, as Jackson played Fitz watched. When Olivia walked in the door he had a slight look of surprise on his face.

"Hey. Sorry. Didn't meant to run out on you."

"No, its fine. I got stuck talking to Ken's campaign manager. She had every question in the book. And every answer too." Olivia took off her heels, drastically affecting her height. She walked over to the center of room and sat with her legs crossed directly in front of Jackson. Fitz moved as she made herself comfortable and sat on the edge of the nearby couch.

"Thats exactly why I made myself scarce. Jackson suggested we head over here," he said dryly with a dull smirk at his lips.

"Oh he did, did he?" Fitz had gotten into the habit of blaming Jackson for anything Olivia might find questionable. It was cute, for now. "My ten-month-old miraculously speaks now?"

"You didn't like all of those people squeezing those big cheeks, did you?"

Jackson was completely entranced by his set of colorful blocks.

"It was a nice service. A lot of people came to show their support."

"More like a lot of people came here to kiss my father and uncles asses," he scoffed, finishing up the tiny bit of scotch left in his glass. Olivia slightly winced at the bitter tone in Fitz's comment. She tried to lighten the mood with a tiny joke.

"Kissing of ass. The second most popular form of kissing."

They smirked at each other. Keep the conversation light. That's all Liv kept telling herself.

"I saw Karen just now. She went to lay down in the residence."

"Yeah. I told her to go try and rest. She's wearing herself out."

"And, Jerry? I haven't seen him much today."

"He left with Marissa a while ago. You know how he gets around big crowds of people. Especially politicians. I'm not really sure where they went. If I know my son he has her tangled in a fresh set of sheets already. One track mind, that kid."

"Like someone I know."

He gave a weak smile but looked down and reached out to run his hand through Jackson's hair.

"Me and my boy. You're brother and sister dropped me but you don't mind hanging with your old man, right?"

It never ceased to amaze Olivia how Fitz looked at Jackson. Almost in wonderment. As she stared at two of the most important people in her life, Fitz spoke up.

"You looked really pretty today. I can't remember if I told you or not." The compliment was sweet, and simple. He said it in such matter-of-fact tone that she almost didn't catch it.

"Thanks. I clean up well," she joked back.

"You do."

"You looked handsome, as always."

"Thanks."

She looked at him but he looked so sad. He had forced smiles all week and willingly made small talk. He was gracious in his acceptance of every last condolence. But as she watched him throughout the day she saw evert second of pain that he was trying to make it through. He was hurting. He was drowning.

"How you holding up?"

"What do you mean?" He didn't even bother to look up from the lazy patterns he drew along the rim of his glass.

She gave him a knowing look, not blinking until he was forced to lift his face and lock eyes with his wife. He knew. He knew that she was in his head. So, he gave in.

"How am I holding up," he repeated her question as a statement before taking a second to respond. "I'm...I guess I'm okay."

"Today was tough. The last couple days have been tough."

"Yeah."

Jackson crawled over to Olivia's ankles asking for some attention in his own way. She picked him up but immediately looked back over at Fitz. He sat still on the couch, with a lingering pain his eyes as he focused on a random spot on the ground.

"Fitz," she said seriously. But he didnt respond. His eyebrows were narrowed and his jaw was tight. He wanted to respond to his wife, but he couldn't seem to break his intense stare."Look at me. Please."

Her final plea broke his gaze. As their eyes met she felt a part of her heart break. She would do anything to erase his pain, to carry his burden. Anything so that he wouldnt be hurting to the intensity that he was in that moment. She walked towards him slowly, never breaking her eye contact with him. Jackson, who was still in her arms, had relaxed his body wanted against hers. His arms were tucked under his body and his head was just under her chin. Olivia could feel his breathing slowing down as he began to drift off.

"You want to hold him? Hes falling asleep."

She knew that Fitz loved putting Jackson to sleep, so maybe this would cheer him up a little. They carefully shifted the baby from one chest to the other. He was still in the button up shirt and black slacks that they dressed him in for the funeral. The clip on tie was long gone, but he still looked adorable. His small body immediately relaxed against his father's.

"He's getting so big," Fitz said in a low tone. He lowered his face to rest on Jackson's head gently. "I want him to always be this small. Small enough to sleep in my arms."

Olivia lifted her hand and rested her palm against his face. Fitz relaxed into it closing his eyes and releasing a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"Thank you for checking on me," he sheepishly whispered.

She moved closer, nuzzling just under the crook of his arm while he supported Jackson with his other arm. They sat like that in silence for a while.

It was surreal for the both of them to sit as husband and wife listening to each breath of their son. If you would've told Olivia during Fitz's presidency that moments like this existed in the near future, she wouldn't have believed it. Not one bit. But yet here she was. Supporting her husband on one of the darkest days of his life. Sitting while their toddler fell asleep to the rhythm of her husbands heartbeat. Moments like this made the tough times worth it. She was pulled out of her thoughts at the sound of Fitz's voice. It was quiet, and sad, but it was still his voice.

"She knew, you know."

Olivia lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at Fitz inquisitively.

"Who knew what?"

"About us. My mom. She knew. She always knew."

"You're kidding me. Right?"

He cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. It seemed like a good memory for him from his facial expression.

"She figured it out after our first campaign stop here in Santa Barbara," he said with a barely noticeable smile at the corner of his mouth. His back was leaning against the armrest so that he was facing her with a better view. While he was speaking with slight amusement in his voice, Olivia seemed more concerned than anything.

"How did she-? I was barely here at the house that weekend." She was racking her brain back to those quick few days. It had been years and years ago now.

"My mom claimed that after I introduced you she had suspicions. And then she just sat back and watched us together. The way you looked at me when nobody was looking. The way I looked at you not caring who was looking. She just knew," he said as he shrugged his shoulders, and began rubbing Jackson's back in a circular motion. The same way he'd rubbed Olivia's back so many times before.

"She knew? The whole time. She knew." Olivia was basically talking to herself now, almost amused at the fact that they weren't as discreet as they once thought.

"So, she sat me down and talked to me and made it clear that she wasnt the type to condone affairs. But, that Mellie and I stopped being husband and wife long before my ticket to the presidency. And, with you, she just...she saw it right away. That it looked like magic. So, she said that if I was genuinely happy with you, then do what was necessary to make it right."

"Wow," Olivia said, with her eyebrows raised. She was now leaning one elbow on the back of the couch, gently rubbing her temple. During this trip she expected a lot of conversations about her mother-in-law, but she definitely wasn't expecting one like this.

"Apparently her suspicions were solidified after our second trip out here."

"Our second trip? Why?"

"Well...she heard us in the pool."

"In the pool? In the pool, in the pool..." she was muttering under her breath now, again tossing previous events around in her head to jog her memory. "Oh my god! In the pool?! Your mom heard us?"

Fitz couldn't help but slightly chuckle at Olivia's reaction. He bit his bottom lip to subside any noise he might make that would wake up Jackson. But that didn't hide the ridiculous grin that was plastered on his face.

"Well, when I said "us", really, I meant you. She said she heard _you_ in the pool. And when she looked out..."

"She _saw_ us?! She watched us having sex? I'm...god," she shook her head at herself in disgust and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Seriously, why? I mean, seriously, what is wrong with us? Why can't we ever wait to get a room, like normal adults?"

"I always tell you that you get loud," he plainly stated.

She lowered her hand and looked at him with a look of playful disbelief.

"You cannot put that one on me. I remember that night. And I remember I told you to not get in the water."

"You never really mean it when you say stuff like that."

She pursed her lips at his statement and they shared a mischievous look.

"Anyway, so what'd she say?" Liv was intrigued now.

"First, she congratulated me on my seemingly much appreciated skills." She rolled her eyes and motioned with her hands for him to continue with the story.

"Second, she scolded me for not being cautious. She pointed out that any of the groundskeepers could've been around. And then... she told me to use birth control."

"This is actually getting worse. You should've told me this as soon as it happened. I could've talked to her and explained-"

"My mother specifically told me not to tell you. She didn't need explanation. And she was always very considerate about it."

"Well that's a plus," she inserted sarcastically.

"I remember when she gave me the actual "wrap it up" talk," he started laughing and shook his head at the memory. Liv couldn't help but smile at her husbands lighter demeanor.

"I dont know how you can laugh at this."

"It was funny! I was back home for one of my fathers award ceremonies, right. And I remember, clear as day, we were sitting in the kitchen just me and her. Me and my mom, still in our dress clothes, middle of the night, trying to find some good ol' snacks. She was making me Eggo waffles in the toaster to go with my ice cream and-"

"Of course. Your favorite junk food..."

"Well, of course. And she's pouring syrup on the waffles. We're just kind of enjoying each others company. And just out of nowhere she goes, "I hope my lovely Olivia is using birth control".

As Olivia listened to the story she was attentive but that last sentence made her eyes almost bulge out of her head.

"Right? I mean, completely out of left field. I almost spit my ice cream out. Actually, I think i did spit it out. Anyway, she was very direct, obviously."

"That was Ginny, alright. Sweet as pie but she didn't mince her words."

"Not at all," he said will the most genuine smile. He began playing with Jacksons soft curls."She wanted us to have kids. She wanted grandkids from us."

Olivia's demeanor changed at his statement. She had always felt loved by Fitz's mother, but the fact that she was so accepting of her, and not doing it for show, that truly touched her. Tears began to well in her eyes.

He cleared his throat to give the best impersonation of his mother. "Don't get me wrong, Fitzgerald. I expect loads of beautiful brown grandchildren filling this house with laughter. But not until you make an honest woman out of Olivia. She deserves nothing less."

"Your mom..." Olivia said before letting out a sharp exhalation. If she knew all of this before, the conversations they could have had.

"Then she told me-," he smiled but Olivia could hear his voice mildly change. He was getting choked up. She reached out to gently stroke his forearm. He looked her in her eyes. They both were attempting to hold their tears at bay.

"She told me to never let you forget how much you mean to me."

"She was hopeless romantic," Liv said, just above a whisper with the saddest smile on her face.

"She was good, Livvie. She was one of the good ones."

"She was."

"I miss her already, Liv," he said, clenching his jaw, trying to keep his composure. "It's only been a week and I miss her so much."

Olivia didn't know what to do except sit as close as possible to her husband and wrap her arm around his shoulder tightly. She kissed his temple gently and held her lips there to try and comfort him. He began crying silently, still holding his son, letting his body lean into Olivia's.

"She's gone," he said in a broken voice. The tears he had been holding back all week were falling freely. "She's gone."

"I know it hurts," she whispered into the top of his hair. Olivia held onto him closely, rocking their bodies ever so gently to try and soothe Fitz. He cried, and she gave him time to mourn. To release all of the emotions from this terrible loss.

He didn't stop until moments later. When he did he sat up and leaned back to sit with his head on the back of the couch. He cleared his face with his free hand and kissed Jackson's head before he tilted his head to look at the ceiling. He closed his eyes but reached his hand out to intertwine his fingers with Olivia's. She was discreetly wiping away tears of her own with one hand as she held his with the other. Before she could say anything Fitz cleared his throat and began speaking.

"I'm sorry, Liv. I shouldn't have-"

"Why are you apologizing?" She was genuinely confused.

"I should be stronger right now. I know I should. I'm trying but I can't."

"Fitz...I'll be strong for us. Okay? Let me be strong for us."

He hesitated, holding onto Jackson tightly as he continued to sleep. He squeezed Olivia's hand and rolled his head to look at her with his tear-filled eyes before giving his simple, yet meaningful response.

"Okay"

**My fellow Gladiators! SOOOOO excited that the new season started filming yesterday! October will be here before you know it! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this last chapter. It was a sad one, I know. But I tried to throw in some lighter stuff in the beginning. The next few chapters will explore the aftershocks of his mothers death but I promise its not all doom and gloom. BTW, I really do try to update whenever I can. I'm a fairly busy person so I pretty much keep the story on my phone and write/edit it until I'm happy with the results. So, I promise when I'm taking a while to update, I'm still thinking about you guys and writing:) As always, feel free to leave a review. Any thoughts/comments help me when writing the next chapter. Have an AWESOME day! Till next time...;)**


	20. Chapter 20

"Hey, pretty lady," he beamed with a smile as he entered their kitchen.

"Hey. How'd it go?"

His response was vague with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

"Uneventful. He didn't even look at me when I left."

Fitz was just returning home from dropping Jackson off for a play date at Cyrus and James' house. Ella and their one year-old, Nicholas, were more than excited to have a friend over for their entertainment. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the idea except for one person.

"You can relax, Liv. Cyrus and James are more than capable to watch two toddlers and a five year-old. They're just playing with toys. It's fine." He walked towards her and placed his much larger hands on the top her tiny shoulders, massaging them lightly in an effort to calm her thoughts. As they faced each other Olivia was noticeably anxious.

"I'm a mom," she stated. "I'm allowed to be a little jumpy about my sons first first play date."

"But, this isn't his first play date. You and James get together more than any non-married man and woman I know."

"I stand corrected. This is his first play date without me."

"I offered to let you come with me to drop him off."

"Yeah. But, it was better for you to just do it. I don't want to be the woman that makes a scene every time she has to part with her kid. That's not cute."

"It's kinda cute."

Fitz kissed her forehead before turning her around slowly, gently pulling her body against his.

"Enough about that," he said, dismissing the topic at hand. He placed a kiss on a random spot between her neck and shoulder."How is my Olivia Pope-Grant doing?"

Olivia laughed lightly at the ticklish feeling of his mouth on her skin. She attempted to let her body relax as she rocked side to side along with his.

"I'm fine." Really, she was.

"Good. You know, I was thinking-"

"Uh-oh."

"Very funny," he rested his chin atop her shoulder as he continued. "But, I was thinking, we should take advantage of this house being a baby-free zone for the next few hours. A parting gift, of sorts."

He was flying to California to wrap up some loose ends regarding his mothers will. Almost as soon as he was to return home he had his much anticipated trip to Africa scheduled.

"A parting gift?"

"Mmmhmm."

"I already have something planned for that."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." She turned herself around to face him again, draping her arms around his shoulders. "Its Sunday."

"This is true."

"The games on."

"Also true."

"Go sit down and I'll meet you in there."

He wasn't making the correlation.

"Honestly, Liv. If its sports or sex," he grabbed a handful of one of her ass cheeks and squeezed, forcing out an unexpected squeal from her mouth. "I really don't give a damn about a bunch of male athletes running around on my TV screen."

He lightly nibbled her neck and Olivia giggled.

"You're being difficult, as usual," she said through her airy laughter.

She pulled away and turned his body in the direction of the living room. Her hands were on his shoulder blades as she pushed him along due to his resisting attempts.

"Go!" She said as she swatted his butt hard, causing him to look at her over his shoulder with a smirk across his face.

"I'll be in. I promise. Give me five minutes."

"Fine."

As he followed her commands he watched the game and waited patiently. After looking at the time he realized it had probably been more like ten minutes and he was sure to point that out as he yelled from the sofa.

"Olivia! It's halftime and you're still not in here with me. I don't think I like this plan of yours too much."

Right on cue, she suddenly appeared before him standing her body directly in front of the television.

"Had I known you were this impatient of a man, I might have reconsidered this whole marriage thing."

Olivia was a vision. She wore a black lace bra accompanied by a matching thong. Her tasteful yet barely there lingerie left little to the imagination. The only way she knew she wouldn't catch a cold was a white silk mini-robe that she let drape along her shoulders. Her hair was down, a mass of loose curls falling past her shoulders with her bangs almost covering her seductive eyes.

"Jesus Christ."

"You like?"

He stared at her speechless for a few long seconds. His mouth had even dropped open before he could verbalize his thoughts.

"My sexy wife is standing in front of me in lingerie, holding a cold beer. I don't like. I love."

She casually walked closer with a smirk on her face as he stared in awe. Her petite body had curves in all the right places. The bottled beer that she held was handed directly to him for his enjoyment. He took no time before drinking a long sip of it, never taking his eyes from his wife.

Olivia bent over in front of Fitz, just close enough to kiss his neck on both sides finishing with a lingering bite to his chin.

"I'm going to miss you too much over the next two and a half weeks," she whispered against his lips, barely able to make eye contact from her hooded lids.

"God, you're perfect," he said, still in disbelief at the sight before him.

"I just want you to remember what's waiting for you when you finally get home."

"Trust me, I know."

She kissed his neck again, this time lingering against the spot that always drew a reaction from him. As her lips rested there she placed her hands against his thighs and rubbed her hands slowly against his firm limbs.

"Mmmmm." Fitz felt like a king as she catered to him, scantily clad in her lingerie. Every now and then he'd drink his beer, giving her a kiss with the aftertaste from each sip. She began to slip her tongue in his mouth to massage his. Before he knew it she was sliding her tongue as far back into his mouth as he could take, holding the back of his neck in place with her petite hands.

"You're being so naughty today," he muttered in an impressed tone against her lips.

"I'm about to rock your world Fitzgerald Grant." Her tone of voice was low and seductive as she made a move to lower herself down his body to rest her knees against the ground. Fitz immediately noticed what she was doing and became tense.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Uh-uh," he said firmly as his hand grabbed her elbow. "Come back up here."

He was barely using any strength against her as he made his request. So, she stayed in place on her knees in front of him. Her body fit right in between his thighs as her hands wrapped around and began to slowly knead his calf muscles.

"This is what I want," she said assertively as she dismissed his apprehension.

"Liv," Fitz responded in an exhalation. "You know what I want? I want to hear you scream. That's what I want."

"We always do that," she subtly pouted. Her right hand made its way up to his pronounced erection. She slowly stroked his length through his thin basketball shorts. His face winced. He was always so sensitive to her touch. But it always felt so good.

"Don't worry. I'll take it easy on you, I promise." She had a devilish look on her face and her lower lip tucked in between her teeth.

"I want both of us to enjoy this." He wasn't trying to kill the mood but he truly did enjoy sex more when he could watch her unravel with pleasure.

"You don't seem to understand," she said before kissing the inside of his right thigh slowly, "that I get turned on," she kissed the inside of his left thigh in the same way, "when I suck you off." She made a point of sharing an intense stare with him as she vocalized her last words.

Fitz tightened his jaw at her words. She was fully aware of the effect she had on him, especially when speaking candidly.

"There's nothing wrong with you letting me do this to you. Okay? I want to."

He would've argued his point, but more than that he wanted his rock hard member tended to. So, after letting out a slow exhalation through his nose and taking another quick swig of beer, he responded with a nod of his head.

"Okay."

"But, you know what would really turn me on?" She knew she was pushing it, but when did that ever stop her?

"What?" He had no idea what to expect from his wife at this point.

"Tell me to do it."

"Liv," he said with his eyebrows slightly narrowed.

She grabbed a hold of his length again and rubbed long strokes, pushing and pulling his long and thick cock with her much smaller hand.

"My rules. Or I'm gone."

He groaned as she stroked him. His head went back against the couch suddenly finding it impossible to keep his eyes open.

"Tell me you want it, Fitz," she demanded.

"God," he looked back down at her in between his legs and had a serious expression, almost as if he were angry. But she knew better. "Yes, I want it."

"I want to hear the words come out of your mouth."

Without warning he tugged her up by her shoulders, this time with forced strength, and pulled her body completely against his. He held her face by her jaw tightly with one hand, the way he knew she liked it. The other hand grabbed her ass tightly. Firm, and in control he finally spoke again."I'm only going to say this once. So listen closely."

She nodded faintly, now practically putty in his hands. Her plan was to be in control but when he became dominant like this it threw her off course. She knew she'd get back to being in control once she finally started, but in this moment, she would do anything he told her.

"Are you listening?" He said firmly, staring at her full lips. He wanted them so bad, but he also wanted to play along with her little game.

"Yes," she whispered weakly.

"Good. You want me to tell you what I want, huh?"

"Yes."

"Get down on your knees. And suck me until I come."

She let the words sink in for a second as he breathed within the closest proximity of her face without actually kissing her. The electricity between their bodies was palpable. They were both right on the edge of climax before even doing anything. She pulled her thoughts together and continued with her plan.

"Get your hand off my ass."

Olivia in control was back. He laughed under his breath at their crazy mood at the moment. She kissed her way down his body before settling again on her knees. He laid his head back against the couch, closing his eyes, hoping this wasn't a dream. But, as soon as she swallowed him whole and began sliding him in and out of her mouth, he knew he most definitely was not dreaming.

"Damn, Liv," he said in a quite and strained voice, reaching out blindly to rest his hands on the back of her head. He gently wrapped a fist full of her hair in his hand as she slowly slipped her warm and wet mouth up and down his shaft.

She was taking her time sucking him, knowing that her pace was on the verge of torture for him. Every so often she'd lick his length, from the base to the tip. She began paying attention to his balls, sucking them hard, flicking them with her tongue while jacking him off with a free hand. Fitz sucked through his teeth and tightened his jaw at the feeling.

"Shit. That feels amazing," he groaned.

Olivia knew her husband well enough to know it wouldn't be long before he finished. When it came to receiving oral pleasure from her he just couldn't contain how good it felt. Before he knew it she had her swollen lips wrapped around just his head, sucking hard and lowering just enough to keep the tip in her mouth. She used her tongue and occasionally a light graze of her teeth to help send him over the edge. He was shifting awkwardly on the couch trying to prolong his orgasm, but her efforts made that difficult.

"Fuck, Liv. Don't do that unless you want me to come."

That was music to her ears. She kissed the red tip of his cock and whispered against it as she locked her eyes with his.

"I want you to."

She put both hands around his shaft and began pumping up and down at an irrationally fast pace.

"Fuck!" His head was thrown back against the couch again and his hips began to buck, showing her that he was about to reach his climax. He let out a loud groan and looked down at her as if he were in pain, his breathing labored and his mouth dropped open in awe.

"I..." he could barely talk as he shook his head, "I don't want to come like this. Let me stand up."

He did just that. Standing right in front of where he had just been sitting, Olivia moved back slightly to give him space, still on her knees. She was so turned on watching him try to control the timing of his orgasm. He was losing it.

He reached in front of his knees as he stood to get a hold of her face. He held her, his right hand flat under her chin, his left hand holding the back of her head. This was the part that he always felt selfish about but it never failed to help him finish right away and it felt so good. This was also the part where Liv knew he couldn't help but scream out her name in utter pleasure at the feeling. He started out with hard, seperate thrusts, looking down at her as she made sensual eye contact with him.

"Fuck, Olivia! That's it baby."

He rolled his head back as his eyes drifted shut. She closed her lips around his length letting her warm, wet mouth tightly suck him as his hips worked back and forth in an even rhythm.

"I'm about to come. Lean back, baby."

He tugged at her hair and tilted her head at a good angle for his release. He slightly bent his knees and used his other hand to jerk off quickly. He stared at her beautiful face waiting for him to finish. Her eyes looked up at him, knowing exactly what effect she had on him. As he looked at her, she did the one thing that always sent him over the edge. She started licking her lips sensually and biting them, just mere inches from his head. The sight of that last gesture was it.

His hips bucked as he released, his typically deep voice sounding a couple octaves higher than usual as he made numerous sounds of pleasure. Most of his release landed perfectly in her mouth, with the exception of a small bit against her top lip. His breathing was heavy and labored as he finished his load.

He groaned looking down, still stroking himself gently as he felt himself going soft. He let out a sigh while his entire body began to relax from his post-orgasmic high.

She was proud of herself as she stood up and kissed his chest.

"I'm gonna go clean up," she whispered.

He was in a daze but still wanted her with him.

"Wait, Liv, let me-" his hand reached out for hers to stop her.

"That was perfect. I'll watch the rest of the game with you in a minute."

He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a gently kiss against her wedding band.

"Thank you, baby."

"I love you. I'll be back in a minute."

She successfully pulled off her plan and was honestly proud of herself for it. As soon as they had scheduled Jackson's play date she knew how she would be using their time. And their rendezvous in the living room just now went exactly as hoped for. Now she just wanted to switch back into some clothes and relax together before picking up their toddler. But, before Olivia could even make it to the bedroom she heard Fitz coming up the stairs behind her. Almost in a flash, he was approaching her in the hallway. She turned around to see what was up.

"The games over?"

He yanked her wrist and whipped her body around, slamming her back into the hallway wall. There was a split second of utter confusion written on her face. He didn't say a word opting to press his body against hers, giving her an intense stare that she recognized. Similar to a lion about to capture his prey. She immediately became aroused as she realized what was about to happen, completely intrigued by her husbands force.

"You dont seriously think I would let you get away that easily."

He snatched her thigh and swiftly wrapped it around his hip, tightening his jaw in the process. He dipped his waist slightly and pressed into her as he brought himself back up. He did the same move again for a second and third time, going slower and grinding deeper each time. He wanted her to feel every last inch of his hardness and she definitely did.

"Fitz," she said as a whisper.

Olivia's heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode from her chest just watching him. Her husband was good at many things, but one of his specialties was knowing exactly how to turn her on.

Maybe it was because her heart was beating so rapidly, or maybe it was just the fact that she was pressed so tightly against him. Either way, Fitz's eyes became glued to Olivia's breasts as he tempted her with his hardened length. Her black lace bra was doing wonders for her already perfect mounds. Deciding that they needed some attention he forcefully freed her right breast from the lacy material. Before she could even respond he had her in his mouth. She let out a loud moan and whimper as he suddenly sucked hard, finishing with a bite to her brown bud, tugging it between his front teeth. His slick tongue sent shivers down her spine as he began tracing patterns against her hardened nipple.

"God, Fitz. Please," she moaned.

He lifted his mouth so that their lips touched, but he didn't kiss her.

"Please what?" He firmly whispered.

He lowered his mouth and bit her neck. Hard. No sucking, no pulling. Just a hard, carnivorous bite.

"God Fitz!" He flattened his tongue and licked the same spot.

"Please, what, baby?" He whispered again, this time kissing her against his teeth marks.

"Stop teasing me."

He growled, laughing quietly but wickedly at the thought of her begging him like this.

Fitz, not wanting to let go of her, reached down with one hand and pulled out his cock which sprung out with ease. He groaned behind his gritted teeth, thankful for its release. Not wasting any time he used his fingers to slide her practically nonexistent lace thong to the side. They both looked down and watched as he entered her. Their two skin tones melding together, him sliding in and stretching her beyond her limits. It was mentally the hottest thing and would never get old to her.

Neither of them could even speak they were so drugged with one another. He used one hand to hold her hands above her head as Olivia began rolling her hips against him, riding him deeply. Fitz furrowed his eyebrows and tightened his jaw.

"Fuck you ride me good."

His left arm still wrapped around her waist tightly as she went to work on him. She continued riding him throwing her head back against the wall as he lowered his head again to put her exposed breast in his mouth again.

She was letting out sharp shrieks every time Fitz hit her spot. Their hips rolled to the same rhythm, each of them working to bring the other to climax.

"Give me your hand," he demanded, almost out of breath.

He grabbed one of her hands and brought it to his mouth to suck her thumb. She watched as his warm mouth made her finger sufficiently wet. After a few seconds of sensual sucking Fitz pulled it out of his mouth, placing that same hand in between their two bodies.

"Rub yourself with me."

He licked his mouth and bit into his bottom lip as he watched her start going to work, his much larger thumb on top of hers. The extra pressure rubbing into her already swollen bundle of nerves felt so good. She wasn't being loud on purpose, but she truly couldn't keep the sounds in.

"Get loud, baby. It's just us."

She moaned loudly. Her eyes were rolling shut as she began to feel her body explode.

He pressed his thumb on top of hers deeper, making sure to stroke at the same pace as his cock.

"Damn, baby. Scream my name when you come."

"I'm almos-"

He thrust into her hard, burying his face into her neck. That did it.

"Fitz!"

Their muscles involuntarily spasmed as they reached their orgasms together. It was so strong that he slammed his fist into the wall above her head.

"God_damn_!" He yelled out at the sudden feeling exploding through his body for the second time that day.

He was completely spent. Not even having enough energy to unwrap her legs. His forehead pressed into the cool wall as his breathing remained heavy."Oh my god. Liv, you're amazing."

She blushed as she dipped her face in the crook of his neck, letting her heart rate slow down a bit.

"That wasn't part of my plan for our evening together," she mumbled.

"I know. But I couldn't get you off of my mind after you sucked me that good. I was still hard."

"Plus, you're stubborn. And greedy. And stubborn." She lifted her face up to make eye contact with him. "Did I mention stubborn?"

"You like it."

"We could've done this in the bedroom. It's literally right there."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"You're out of control."

"You make me this way."

"Can you put me down now?"

* * *

"I don't want to go."

"You have to."

"I know. But I don't want to."

They hadn't moved from their spot in the hallway. Olivia was still wearing her lingerie with the robe tightly wrapped around her to keep from getting cold. Fitz sat across from her, his back against the wall parallel to hers. They both sat straight, facing each other, caressing the others legs gently. They were spent from the hot impromptu sex and were taking their time before finding enough energy to shower.

"It'll go by quickly. Believe me."

"Listening to lawyers divvy up my mothers inheritance? Nothing about that sounds quick."

"When I said I would go I was serious." She dipped her head to catch Fitz's eye. "All you have to do is say the word."

He sweetly smiled and squeezed her ankle gently.

"Thank you. But, there's really no point," he said as he shrugged. "You and Jackson would be by yourselves all day until god knows what time. What do you have planned while I'm gone anyway?"

"Well, we have Mommy and Me Yoga tomorrow afternoon. Jackson has his doctors appointment for that rash-looking thing he has going on. That's the day after tomorrow. Its the soonest they could fit him in."

"You should've specified who he is."

"Fitz, every major politician in the tristate area takes their kids to the same pediatrician. I'm sure their office isn't giving priority to the son of a one-term president from over five years ago, no offense."

"None taken. So, that's it? Yoga and doctors? Nothing else?"

"You're only going out west for two days. What more should we be doing?" Her sweetly confused smile said it all.

"Nothing, I guess." He knew he was asking seemingly silly questions. "I just...I hate being away from you guys. With the older two at least I get to talk to them throughout my day. Jackson's not exactly using full sentences or sending me text messages. It just makes me miss him more when I travel."

He lifted his hands and rubbed his face deeply as the thoughts of his next few weeks were catching up to him.

"And then I have Africa as soon as I get back here. It's a lot. All the back and forth."

"I know. But this California trip was unexpected. And Africa...well, that's been looming in the background since before your mom." She tilted her head and grazed her nails along his leg soothingly.

"It'll be over soon. And then you're going to be stuck coming with us to Mommy and Me Yoga," she joked.

"I'm game for that," he assured her. "Remember when you and I tried Bikram Yoga together? I may have been a few years younger but, as you recall, my eagle pose continually got props from the instructors."

"Props? Fitz," she lightly laughed to herself at his perception of things, "they were giving you compliments because "President Grant" asked for exclusive classes in their studio. And don't even get me started on their faces when they saw you in your bike shorts."

"It's hot as hell in those studios. All the guys wear them."

"Well, yeah. My point is, they were drooling over you, even when your poses looked like crap. So, don't be so sure that you can keep up with me and Jackson at yoga. Those Bikram instructors were a bit much, now that I think of it."

"Oh, I can keep up," Fitz smirked with that cocky look that she loved and hated at the same time. "Dont tell me Olivia Pope was jealous of the cute little yoga instructors."

"Jealous? No."

"Dont fret, my love. I only have one baby momma and I just cant seem to get enough of her." His use of that term always made her laugh and this time was no different.

Fitz slowly shifted to his hands and knees and crawled over to her. He lifted one leg over hers so that she was trapped in between his limbs. Before Olivia could give a snarky response he was placing gentle kisses along her neck and collarbone. He took his time, and she relished in his delicate approach. Her hands instinctively lifted to get lost in his thick hair at the nape of his neck.

"Fitz..." She spoke quietly with her lips turned in a half smile. He said something against her skin but she couldn't quite hear him.

"Hm?"

"I said, let's make more babies, Liv." His request was mumbled casually in between the soft pecks against her neck.

Olivia moved both hands to his cheeks and lifted his face sweetly. She never knew how to respond to the baby topic but she loved the fact that he was eager to have more with her. When they made eye contact, his grey eyes getting lost in the depths of her brown ones, she didn't know what to say. So Fitz spoke up.

"We said we'd talk closer to Jackson's first birthday. And that's right around the corner."

Olivia was still unsure of what she wanted her response to be. Fitz moved off of her and sat back against his wall, tenderly pulling her with him. She settled into his lap she straddled his waist, making themselves even more comfortable in the hallway. They stared into each others eyes in brief silence before Fitz filled the silence.

"You don't want more."

"I didn't say that," a twinge of defensiveness in her voice.

"You didn't _not_ say it either." He wasn't mad, but he was clearly ready for a real heart to heart about the topic.

"I don't know," she genuinely responded, playing with the string from his basketball shorts. "I don't know if I'm ready yet. It's a lot on my body. And he's starting to walk-practically run." She looked up from the shorts and looked at her handsome husband. He was so effortlessly sexy, if he asked her in that moment for ten more kids she'd do everything in her power to give them to him. But she wanted to be smart about the timing.

"Honestly, I don't want to be six months pregnant, chasing around a toddler almost in his terrible twos."

"You're not a single mom, Livvie. We're married, remember? I'm here. You're here. Its a team effort. Plus, we can always get a nanny."

Her neck snapped back in shock at his use of that word.

"Over my dead body. We're not outsourcing to raise our kids."

"Kids," he grinned as he kissed her lips,"as in, plural." He kissed her lips again, just as swiftly."So you _are_ thinking about another one." He pulled her waist as close to his as possible and rested their foreheads together. His basketball shorts left little to the imagination. He wasn't visibly excited but her body couldn't help but react to the close proximity of his well-endowed manhood. And Fitz knew it.

"I know what you're doing. And, of course I think about it. I just don't have a good answer yet."

"Fair enough. Well, you think about a good answer. And get back to me when you're ready. I won't bring it up again, I promise. In the meantime...I'm hungry."

"We have to pick up Jackson soon," she stated quietly as she attempted to brush back a rogue curl of his that always fell out of place. He squeezed her body closer to his before letting out a sigh.

"Let's leave him. They can handle a third baby. Especially if we throw in his overpriced crib and a few extra bucks."

"That actually might work. Between him, Nick, and Ella, Jackson has the closest resemblance to James."

"The only problem with our plan is the strong possibility that Cyrus would have another heart attack. Three kids? He wouldn't survive it."

"True. But, he survived one heart attack. There's a chance he could survive another."

Their playful banter left both of them with mischievous grins as they sat with one another in their own world. Their own bubble.

"Okay," Liv broke them from their moment,"seriously, lets get changed. I'm starting to miss my little guy."

Rather than moving, Fitz lowered his head to rest on her shoulder. Olivia smiled to herself and lifted her hands to lazily drag her nails against his upper back.

"You wanna give it a go one more time? Before we leave?" He requested.

"No. I don't want to 'give it a go one more time'. We need to get cleaned up. And leave. Come on."

As she stood up she extended her hands to pull him from their spot on the ground. They walked the short distance towards their bedroom with her body engulfed in his arms.

"Mmmmm. Your ass is..." He whispered in her ear.

"Stop," she giggled. "Seriously. I can't go for round three."

"You can. And you will."

Suddenly the walk to their bathroom was filled with high-pitched shrieks and laughter as he picked her up and carried her into their bathroom.

Within a few short minutes the only sounds filling their steam filled shower were moans of contentment and the few words barely escaping her mouth, "God, Fitz. Don't stop."

* * *

"How was yoga?"

"Interesting, as always. Jackson seems to think the mat is a chew toy."

"Teething baby's will do that."

"I guess..."

"Have you heard from your hubby?"

"I got a text that he landed last this morning. Does that count?"

"That's unlike you two," Abby mentioned. And, she was right. As one of Olivia's closest friends she was more than aware of how much Fitz and Liv spoke when either were out of town, for whatever reason.

"Yeah. But he's out there taking care of family business. Its stressful. The kids are there, too. They deserve some alone time together."

"Gotcha."

"You think I should call him, don't you."

"I'm just saying, you two have been together long enough to know that even though he might not ask for help, or a listening ear, that doesn't mean he doesn't want or need it."

"Abs, it's just a tough time. We had a great day before he left."

"Let me guess, hot sex and amazing conversation."

"Don't sound so bitter about it."

"It almost makes me sick how you two still have the hots for each other. You better be careful before you have another Jackson running around."

"If it were up to Fitz we already would."

"He's ready again?"

"He would've had me pregnant months ago if I were on board."

"Tell Mr. President we get it. He's over fifty and still a stud. He doesn't have to reproduce to prove it."

"Ill pass along the message," she said as she smiled into the phone. "I want more. Just not quite yet."

"Right. Hey, Liv. Can I call you back? David's calling me."

"Jeeze, Abby! You just drop me as soon as your loverboy calls?"

"I was supposed to meet him for dinner twenty minutes ago!"

"Im kidding! Tell my favorite frenemy that I said hi."

"Will do."

As soon as her conversation with Abby ended she called Fitz.

"Hi."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just haven't heard from you. Wanted to check in."

"Oh, sorry. I've been at the lawyers office all day."

"Its no problem. I was just thinking about you. Are you still there? At the office, I mean?"

"No. I had one of the drivers pick me up so I'm on my way to the ranch to sleep. I'm exhausted."

"I bet. How is everyone?"

"A little better. Karen's been glued to my side. I actually spoke to Mellie for a moment today."

"Really?"

"She was on the phone with Karen and I happened to be nearby. You know, she just wanted to send her condolences. I guess sometimes even she can have a heart."

"Fitz..."

Olivia wasn't Mellie's biggest fan but she didn't like the idea of Fitz harboring resentment against her. Or anyone, for that matter. It wasn't worth his energy, in her opinion.

"I know, I know. It actually wasn't a terrible conversation. She's worried about Karen, too."

"This is a tough time for her. But, she has a lot of support. I spoke to her a bit last night."

"Yeah, she told me. Thanks."

"Of course. And you? How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah." He wasn't budging.

"You need to take care of yourself, too, you know."

"Yeah, I know," he said dismissively. "Hows Jackson? Let me say goodnight to him."

"He's already asleep. I put him down like an hour ago. Sorry."

"Oh. No, its okay. I forgot I'm a few hours behind you guys right now. Guess I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"We can FaceTime right now if you want to at least see him."

"I would but I just pulled up to the house. Give him a kiss for me though."

"I will. Hey, Fitz."

"Yeah?"

"If it starts getting to be too much, you can tell me, okay? Even if its just for me to listen."

"I know."

"This is a lot, and you're working so hard to help out, and-"

"I'm fine. Okay? I promise. Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Really."

"I love you. So much."

"Me too. But, seriously, don't worry. I'm okay."

"Call me tomorrow?"

"I'll try. Listen, get some rest. I'll talk to you soon."

* * *

"This should be everything. Sorry about that."

Olivia was standing in her office. Her old office, now. She felt out of place as she wore skinny jeans, flats, and a pale pink blouse. An outfit that, during her time working there, she wouldn't have been caught dead in within the walls of her firm. But, she wasn't the boss anymore. And she was just running in a favor for the new owner, and old friend, Stephen Finch.

"Liv," he said in surprise as he looked up from his paperwork. "How are you?"

"Fine. I wanted to drop these off myself. Time sensitive information, I know."

"Thanks," he said with a smile as he stood up. He walked around the desk and breezed through the stacks of papers she had just dropped off. "My crew was going crazy trying to fill in the blanks. Fortunately for me, you're just about as organized as they come."

She smiles. He looked up from the information in his hand and gave her the once-over.

"Look at you," he smiled and placed the information on his desk. He crossed his arms and legs, leaning his body into the oak table. "I'm not used to seeing you in anything but a suit. You look really good, Liv."

"Thanks," she nodded her head in disagreement and tucked the loose strands from her ponytail behind her ear. "I was just getting back from a doctors appointment when I finally saw your email."

"Doctor? Everything okay?"

"It was for Jackson. Apparently he has a few allergies we didn't know about. Nothing too serious. Anyway, I wanted to drop this stuff off. Abby's actually with the baby now so I should get back home before traffic is a pain." She began gathering her belongings off of the table, going through a rapid mental checklist to make sure she had everything.

"The house I've yet to be invited over."

She looked up from her purse where she had been searching for her keys.

"There's always an open invitation for you, Stephen. When Fitz comes back from his trip-"

"Where the hell is he going now?"

"He's in California at the moment. You know his mother passed-"

"I was sorry to hear about that. Please send him my regards."

"Thank you. And he has one of his last trips for his scholarship foundation in a few days."

"Busy man."

"Yes indeed. But he loves it."

"And do you love that he's never home?"

Olivia didn't appreciate his tone as he spoke about Fitz. He didn't know anything about their marriage and really it was none of his business. She stood up straight with her bag on her shoulder and keys in hand. Her facial expression told him he was skating on thin ice with his implications.

"He's home plenty. And I love what he loves."

Stephen laughed airily and shook his head as he stared at her.

"That doesn't even sound like you."

"That I'm happy if my husbands happy?"

"Where's my old friend? Where's the woman that threatened politicians and rescued multi-million dollar companies from imploding after a seemingly unforgiving scandal? Where is she?"

"She's here Stephen. I'm just...I'm a wife and mother now too."

"And you're happy?"

"Yes. Really, really happy."

He sighs.

"Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's why I can't-."

"Stephen-" Olivia really wasn't in the mood to play therapist for her friend. The same friend who was a self-proclaimed lifetime bachelor and womanizer for so many years.

"No. Maybe that's it. I married Georgia and that completely blew up in my face. We never trusted each other. I need...I need someone to support me. The same way you do."

"There's a woman out there waiting to be swept off her feet by you. I'm sure of it. Listen, I'll talk to you soon. Okay?" She went to turn out of the office and before she even reached the door he spoke up again.

"Is there? Because I think the only woman I really ever wanted to feel that way was just standing in front of me, beaming about her husband and child."

She immediately stopped walking and turned around in the same spot.

"Stephen-"

"I miss you, Liv. I do. Don't you ever wonder what might've happened if we would've given it a shot in law school? What we could be by now? What we could've built together?"

No. The honest answer was no.

"Stephen. I love my husband. I love my son. And, I really do care about you, but I never- I don't want to hurt you, but you and I were never something-"

"Liv," he said, almost pleading, as he walked closer to her. He was walking the fine line between friend space and personal space.

"Come on, Stephen. Don't-"

"I just want a hug, Liv. No funny business. Just a hug." Before he even let her respond he had his arms wrapped around her tightly. He held on, squeezing her for dear life. Olivia was more than uncomfortable so she tried to back away and loosen his grip a little.

As he slowly pulled away from the hug he gave her a weak smile. But, suddenly, in a flash, he leaned in and kissed her.

What's happening? His lips felt foreign to hers. They're nothing like the ones she's used to, the ones she loves. His hands are holding her face and they feel...they feel wrong. He tries to deepen the kiss but she uses all of her force to push him off of her.

Stephen stumbled back as he brought a hand up to wipe the side of his mouth. They both have equally confused looks on their faces.

"Liv, I-"

"What the hell!"

"Olivia, please, just listen-"

"Dammit, Stephen. You shouldn't have done that. I gotta go."

She's upset. In her car. Driving. Her thoughts going as fast as the car. The speed of lightening.

She doesn't want him. She never wanted him. How is she supposed to explain that kiss to Fitz? He'll be angry. He'll be hurt. She doesn't want him to hurt. She hates when he hurts. And to be the cause of that?

At least when she gets home Abby will be there. And they'll...do something. They'll figure something out. A way to make this right. To fix it. But how? It is what it is. A kiss.

Why did he have to kiss her? All of their years as friends and he waits until she's married with a family to profess his feelings? Either way she would have denied him. She never wanted him. But, now. Now something like that, something like this-it's a problem. It can't be brushed over.

She's walking through her front door, throwing her keys on the vanity by the entrance. She walks towards the family room and turns the corner only halt her steps. There he is. Why's he here? He's not supposed to fly home until tomorrow. He looks tired. Worn out. She doesn't know what to say. What is there to say? It meant nothing. But, she has to tell him. Right? Just say it, Olivia. Just get it out. _The man that you don't trust, the one you told me not to trust, who I've been friends with for over a decade just cornered and kissed me, professing his undying love for me, asking me to give him a chance._

That doesn't sound right. It sounds wrong. Every type of wrong. Because it is. So, instead, she went with the next thing that popped into her brain.

"You're home early."

**GLADIATORS! How's Summer treating you?! I hope things are well. This last chapter took a bit of time before I was happy with it but I hope that you enjoyed it. I felt like Fitz and Olivia were due for some alone time. The hallway scene wasn't exactly planned but it kind of happened anyway, and I felt like this is actually how Fitz would have responded after their sexy time in the living room. Anyway, thoughts on the Stephen kiss? How do you think Fitz will react? How do you think Olivia will fix it? Do you think she ****_can_**** fix it? I'm still figuring out the layout of the next chapter but I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing from you guys and getting some feedback. Thanks SO MUCH for reading this story and being patient with me as I update when I can. Let me know what you think:) Until next time...**


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